Heaven Rademaker- Juvenile Justice Ministry

04/13/2026

Lets talk about tech!
See you April 15 at Plainfield Christian Church!

Our Tech Night with Youth For Christ has a new date! This event aims to encourage and equip parents and grandparents to begin taking steps toward connecting with their kids in an increasingly digital age. Get registered and sign up for dinner at: https://pccmi.breezechms.com/form/d04ff8

03/31/2026

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT!

Michael has been a Juvenile Justice Ministry Volunteer since 2015!

When asked about his favorite memory during his time as a volunteer with JJM, Michael shared:

“There are so many to choose. Several years ago, in the pre-covid era, I had a group of guys that was mostly uninterested in me. But one night I walk in and the units ‘ringleader’ asked their staff if we could all do Bible study in the quiet room (which was very out of character of him). It turned out there was a new, younger, immature kid on the unit. The guys gave him a good, tough- love, ‘you need to behave better’ type of talk. It was one of those conversations you could tell was totally driven by the Holy Spirit. We even passed over our normally scheduled gym time, which I thought the guys would riot about, but they took it in a mature manner. It was the first night I remember really seeing the Holy Sprit use the youths to convict and hold each other accountable.”

Bucket List Item: Explore photography hobby, and get Photography jobs

03/30/2026

Read my March Ministry Update Below!

Sometimes successes are measured in centimeters. Tiny little high-fives that move a youth forward on their journey. *Maddie is back out in the community again following many incarcerations and placements. Since she was 13 years old, the Youth for Christ Juvenile Justice Ministry has helped her navig...

03/27/2026

So good to connect with others in the community and learn about how we can all come together to help our youth!

Thank you iCI Nation for hosting us!

02/26/2026

Such a fun night!

Spreading the love! 💛 A couple of our JJM leaders hosted a Galentine's Day party for teens they mentor.

02/08/2026

This weekend, many of us will gather for football, funny commercials, and good food. It’s common around the time of the Super Bowl to hear people talking about human trafficking. Anytime the topic of human trafficking is brought up, it’s an opportunity to share about the lived experience of survivors and how we can make our communities safer for children.

Here are some facts to remember this Super Bowl Sunday:

Human trafficking happens in every community. Other types of crime, like drug trafficking or sexual violence, poverty, lack of access to resources, and frequent migration, make people more vulnerable to trafficking. (National Human Trafficking Hotline, 2026; Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2024)

The majority of victims are trafficked by people they know. Many are even trafficked while living in their own homes. (US Department of Transportation, 2026; US Drug Enforcement Administration, 2026)

Supporting at risk-children through programs that support education, food security, mentoring, and other services—meaningfully reduces the risk of human trafficking in your community. (US Department of Education, 2025; Center for Combatting Human Trafficking, 2020)

Take the opportunity to share this information this weekend and be an agent for change and an advocate for children!

Link with more resources in the comments ⤵

02/02/2026

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT!

Rich's favorite part of JJM is serving the Thanksgiving meal each year. You can catch him with a bottle of whipped cream in one hand, and hot sauce in the other! He loves to walk around and get to know the youth whilst also serving them two of their favorite condiments. "You can never have enough hot sauce, not even on your potatoes," one student told him!

One item on his bucket list: Visit Denali National Park in Alaska

01/21/2026

Happy January!
Click below to read my most recent newsletter!

One of my volunteers recently helped a student get packed and ready for her stay at a residential placement facility for the next few months. Read about her experience below:

01/19/2026

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” -Dr Martin Luther King Jr

Today we remember and honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who relentlessly pursued justice, peace, and equality for all people. His teachings eloquently reflected his love for Jesus and the call to action we all have to make the world a better place.

We should be forever grateful for MLK for showing us the change that is possible when we become the hands and feet of Jesus, and act with more light and love

-Photo: St Augustine Boycott 1964-

01/15/2026

Did you know the cost to incarcerate young people around the nation can be shocking??

$312 is the average cost PER DAY of the confinement of our Michigander youth...

This study may be a few years old, but most of these costs have stayed the same or even increased.

This data can be a powerful reminder of the value of prevention and transformation.

Consider how the preventative work we do in the community and courts helps reduce the cost of incarceration and how when God changes lives, it not only reduces recidivism but can break the cycle for future generations!

Read more below.

01/09/2026

Join us for this event at Plainfield Christian Church on January 21st!

January 21st we'll be hosting a Tech Night with Youth For Christ. This event aims to encourage and equip parents and grandparents to begin taking steps toward connecting with their kids in an increasingly digital age. Get registered now with the QR code.

01/09/2026

What a year! Thank you Jesus for all of the growth and life change we have seen this year. Thank YOU for supporting teens all across West Michigan and impacting their journeys. We couldn't do it without you!