Freeway Ministries

What Freeway Ministries does

Freeway Ministries, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) faith-based nonprofit organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. Its mission is outreach, evangelism, and discipleship to individuals experiencing homelessness, addiction, and incarceration, delivered through weekly church-hosted services that combine a hot meal, clothing distribution, hygiene resources, and Bible-based worship. The organization operates 11 outreach locations across seven U.S. states (Missouri, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas) and one international site in Cape Town, South Africa, plus 16 residential Discipleship Houses providing a 12-month Christ-centered program with 80 beds nationwide. A 275-person volunteer base supports weekly operations, serving over 700 people each week at an average meal cost of $0.50 enabled by in-kind donations.

The organization's service portfolio includes a four-season life-skills curriculum (Seasons Classes covering Stewardship, Overcoming the Past, Relationships, and Exit Strategy), a correspondence ministry to incarcerated individuals (The Dewey Newsletter), a mobile shower trailer (Get Clean), a clothing closet, and an internship program (Timothy Project) that develops future directors. Founder-led (co-founders John Stroup, Rick Lechner, and Mike Aye) with John Stroup as Executive Director, Freeway does not have a technology platform, app, or API; all service delivery is physical and relational. Its primary sub-brands include One Broken Life Podcast, Save Our City Revival, Every Kid Gets A Christmas, and A Night of Giving auction.

Freeway is funded entirely by private donations from individuals, churches, and community supporters; it receives no government funding. Reported outcomes include a 90-95% non-recidivism rate among Discipleship House graduates (versus an 83% national re-arrest rate) and $2.1 million in annual taxpayer savings as an alternative to incarceration in multiple counties. Its go-to-market is community-led: word-of-mouth from the recovery community, referrals from partnering churches, and a hub-and-spoke model where each new location is established in partnership with a host congregation.

Name

Freeway Ministries

Legal name

Freeway Ministries, Inc.

Website

https://freeway-ministries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Freeway Ministries is a 501(c)(3) faith-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that delivers outreach, residential discipleship, and reentry support to homeless, addicted, and incarcerated individuals across 11 U.S. locations and South Africa, funded entirely by private donations and a 275-person volunteer base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Food Services (624210), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Faith-based outreach
• Addiction recovery ministry
• Residential discipleship
• Homeless services
• Jail ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Individual Donors: Freeway Ministries is funded entirely by private donations from individual donors, churches, and community supporters. No government funding is received.
2. Annual Fundraising Events: The organization holds annual fundraising events including 'A Night of Giving' auction which is their most significant fundraiser of the year. The event includes dessert, silent auction, and live auction to support Freeway Ministries World Headquarters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Freeway Ministries delivers free, faith-based outreach and discipleship services to homeless individuals, people battling addiction, and the incarcerated across 11 locations and 16 residential houses. Its offerings include weekly meals, clothing and hygiene distribution, Bible-based worship services, a 12-month residential Discipleship program built on the Seasons Classes curriculum, monthly jail correspondence (Dewey Newsletter), a mobile shower trailer ministry, and an internship program (Timothy Project) that prepares future ministry leaders.

Product overview

Freeway Ministries is a nonprofit ministry organization (not a technology product) offering a portfolio of faith-based outreach, evangelism, and discipleship programs. The core offerings include Weekly Outreach Services at 11+ locations nationwide, providing hot meals, clothing, and childcare alongside Gospel presentations. The organization operates 16 Discipleship Houses (Men's and Women's programs) offering 12-month residential Bible-based discipleship through the Seasons Classes curriculum. Additional programs include The Dewey Newsletter (jail ministry correspondence), Freeway Closet (clothing distribution), Get Clean Shower Ministry (mobile hygiene services), Timothy Project (internship training), One Broken Life Podcast (digital content), and annual events including Save Our City Revival and Every Kid Gets A Christmas. The organization does not offer a technology platform, SaaS product, or API-based services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• One Broken Life Podcast: A production of Freeway Ministries featuring conversations exploring what God can do through transformed lives. Hosted by Executive Director John Stroup.
• Seasons Classes
• Freeway Closet
• Timothy Project
• GET CLEAN
• Every Kid Gets A Christmas
• Save Our City
• A Night of Giving
• The Dewey Newsletter

Products and services

• Weekly Outreach Services
• Men's Discipleship House
• Women's Discipleship House
• The Dewey Newsletter
• Freeway Closet
• Get Clean Shower Ministry
• Timothy Project
• Seasons Classes
• One Broken Life Podcast A podcast series of unique conversations exploring what God can do through ONE BROKEN LIFE, featuring real-life transformation testimonies from individuals restored from broken pasts. Hosted by Executive Director John Stroup; available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-95% of Freeway Discipleship House graduates do not return to prison after program completion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Crossway Baptist Church (formerly Broadway Baptist Church)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal partnering church where Freeway Ministries began in 2011. Pastor Eddie Bumpers provided initial space for ministry activities and supported the founding vision to reach those considered 'hard to reach.' The church gave access to a small Sunday School building that held about 40 people.
• Crossbridge Baptist Church (Marshfield)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Marshfield location. Mike Simons, a Timothy Project graduate, serves as Director. The church provides space for Saturday evening services and houses the Marshfield Men's Discipleship House.
• First Baptist Church (Ash Grove)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Ash Grove location. Ike Porter serves as Director. Provides space for Sunday evening services.
• Orlando Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Orlando location. Josh Zuniga serves as Director. Provides space for Thursday services with clothing closet, dinner, and worship.
• Golden Avenue Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway West Springfield location. Provides space for Friday evening services.
• High Street ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Save Our City Revival 2023 event. Located at 900 N Eastgate Ave in Springfield, MO. Three-day revival with worship, testimonies, and recovery resources.
• Calvary Baptist Church (Snyder, TX)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Snyder, Texas. Scott Gilmore serves as Director. Saturday services held at Calvary Life Center. Men's and Women's groups meet at Freeway Office.
• Southside Baptist Church (Alma, AR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway River Valley, Alma, Arkansas. Todd Melton serves as Director. Provides space for Saturday worship services.
• Concord Baptist Church (Jefferson City)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Jeff City location. Mike Quinn serves as Director. Friday services include clothes closet, dinner, service, and discipleship.
• West Colonial Hills Baptist Church (Kingsport)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Gibsontown, Kingsport, Tennessee. Kevin King and Wayne Sherfey serve as Directors. Provides space for Sunday services, food pantry, and Diapers and Devotion program.
• Bible Baptist Church (Chickasha)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Chickasha, Oklahoma. Jason Blacksher serves as Director.
• First Baptist Church (Mountain View, MO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost church for Freeway Mountain View, Missouri. Directed by Leadership Team. Provides space for Sunday dinner and worship services.
• Various Churches (Sanford, FL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFreeway Sanford holds Wednesday Night Seasons Class at 500 S. Semoran Blvd. and Thursday services at 3101 FL-46. Traie Odom serves as Director.
• Ridgecrest Baptist Church (Springfield, MO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Save Our City Revival 2022 event. Located at 2210 W. Republic Road, Springfield, MO.
• Blue Iguana Car WashesminorOthersMultiple Springfield locations serve as drop-off sites for the Every Kid Gets A Christmas toy drive. Donations accepted at 1640 E Sunshine St., 3155 S Campbell Ave., 3316 W Chestnut Expwy., 4304 S Fremont Ave., and 2118 E Kearney St.
• The Wind 88.3 Radio StationminorOthersSpringfield radio station (2550 S. Campbell Ave.) serving as community partner and donation drop-off location for Every Kid Gets A Christmas event.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City Union Mission: Kansas City-based faith-based nonprofit providing meals, shelter, clothing, and residential discipleship/recovery programs. Closely comparable to Freeway's ministry model and Midwestern footprint.
• Atlanta Mission: Faith-based nonprofit serving men, women, and children experiencing homelessness and addiction across multiple Atlanta campuses with meals, shelter, and Christ-centered recovery programs. Comparable multi-site, faith-based residential model.
• Portland Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit in Portland, OR providing meals, shelter, and addiction recovery programs with biblical discipleship. Strong comparable for the meals-plus-residential-discipleship mix.
• Charlotte Rescue Mission: Faith-based recovery and homeless services organization in Charlotte providing meals, clothing, and a long-term discipleship/recovery program. Closely aligned lifecycle-of-care model and faith-based positioning.
• Denver Rescue Mission: Faith-based rescue mission serving the Denver metro with meals, shelter, and the New Life Program for addiction recovery — a near-perfect functional analog for Freeway's outreach + residential discipleship model.
• Lighthouse Mission Ministries: Faith-based rescue mission serving homeless and addicted populations with meals, shelter, and residential recovery/discipleship programs in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable faith-based, lifecycle-of-care operating model.
• Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries: Faith-based nonprofit operating multiple Detroit facilities providing meals, shelter, and residential addiction recovery programs. Closely comparable multi-site faith-based rescue mission.
• Nashville Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit providing food, clothing, shelter, and long-term residential recovery programs in Nashville. Comparable faith-based, multi-service, donation-funded operating model.
• The Bowery Mission: NYC faith-based rescue mission offering hot meals, shelter, clothing, and residential recovery programs grounded in Christian teaching. Direct functional peer in lifecycle-of-care model (outreach → residential → reintegration).
• Union Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit providing meals, shelter, clothing, and residential recovery/discipleship programs for homeless and addicted populations in Los Angeles. Closely comparable mission, programming (meals + residential discipleship), and donor-funded model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FreewayMnstry
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FreewayMinistries
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreewayMinistries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freeway-ministries

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freeway Ministries