GET INFORMED.
GET INVOLVE
The Return is a story — but it points to real organizations doing real work. Here's where to go next.
If you watched The Return and want to do something, you're not alone. The organizations below represent different angles of the same mission: treating every person as a human being made in the image of God, and working toward a justice system that reflects that. Explore what resonates with you.
The Institutions
THE PLACES
Missouri State Penitentiary
JEFFERSON CITY, MO
Opened in 1836 and operated until 2004, dubbed by Time Magazine as "the bloodiest 47 acres in America." It was Jonathan Irons' first home in the prison system — a place he entered as a teenager and where he first learned to survive.
Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC)
Jefferson City, MO
A Level 5 maximum security facility where Jonathan spent the final 16½ years of his incarceration. JCCC is where the concert in this film took place — and where the Growth and Leadership Academy was expanded, resulting in a reported 50% reduction in incidents of violence within six months.
Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC)
Statewide
The state agency overseeing Missouri's correctional system. The cooperation of MDOC leadership was essential in making the events of this film possible — including granting access for the concert, the filming, and the GLA's expansion.
Missouri State Penitentiary
JEFFERSON CITY, MO
Opened in 1836 and operated until 2004, dubbed by Time Magazine as "the bloodiest 47 acres in America." It was Jonathan Irons' first home in the prison system — a place he entered as a teenager and where he first learned to survive.
These are the facilities at the center of Jonathan's story and the movement growing within them.
Partners
PARTNER ORGANIZATION
OUR DAILY BREAD MINSTERRS
The nonprofit ministry that produced The Return. ODBM creates and distributes Christ-centered resources designed to help people know and walk with God.
→ odb.org
SECOND MOUNTAIN LEADERSHIP / GLA
Founded by Bo Cornelius, the GLA is a 22-week peer-driven leadership program operating inside prisons across the United States and internationally.
→ SecondMountainLeadership.org
CCDA
A network of Christians committed to transforming communities through the principles of relocation, reconciliation, and redistribution.
→ ccda.org
WIN WITH JUSTICE
Founded by Maya Moore and powered by Athletes for Impact, rooted in the belief that justice should heal, not harm.
→ winwithjustice.org
Additional Resources
Want to go deeper?
Inclusion of these organizations does not imply formal partnershp with The Return or ODBM. We share them because we believe in the work.
The Innocence Project
Exonerating the wrongfully convicted through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system.
Prison Fellowship
The nation's largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families.
Equal Justice Initiative
Committed to ending mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality.
Prison Policy Initiative
Non-partisan research and advocacy for criminal justice reform, powered by data.