Matt Hunnell didn’t set out to lead a prison reentry program. In fact, he worked in the corporate world for the early part of his career. He went from wholesale into retail before becoming a buyer, where he sourced and managed operations in Asia. He later launched and grew his own companies, building partnerships in Europe before selling his business in 2018.
But Matt will be the first to tell you that while these ventures went well, he yearned for something more meaningful. He got sober 14 years ago and found that meaning when his sponsor told him they planned to go into a prison for their next AA meeting. Matt went to that meeting and continued going every Tuesday night for the next decade. What began as support for his own journey evolved into a calling to support others.
A New Path of Service
Matt’s experiences working in the prison led him to a role with Prison Fellowship, where he helped develop its donor base. He traveled across the country to meet donors, host events (including activities with NFL teams) and visit prisons. From there, he stepped into academia before accepting a role with a 13-month residential recovery program for men, where he oversaw a large multi-site program across central Ohio.
Now, Matt is ready to merge all these experiences into his new role as Executive Director of JUMPSTART Ohio. JUMPSTART launched in Ohio three years ago and is poised for rapid growth and adoption throughout the Ohio prison system. The key to this, Matt says, is building broad awareness for JUMPSTART and its incredible results. He’ll focus on further resourcing volunteers, rallying churches and finding more employers like JBM that will hire JUMPSTART graduates upon release.
How JBM and JUMPSTART Fit Together
The JBM Fair Chance Program focuses on opening doors to meaningful work, while the Better Lives Program provides coaching and support to help team members navigate life after incarceration. JUMPSTART Ohio adds a complementary layer: it helps participants identify their “why” through intensive discipleship and reentry support. This 40-week program starts inside prison and continues long after release.
Together with partners like Wheels and other nonprofit and for-profit organizations that support JUMPSTART participants post-release, JBM is working to create Better Lives. We’re so excited to welcome Matt into that ecosystem and look forward to seeing how his blend of business experience, ministry leadership and lived recovery will help JUMPSTART Ohio grow.
Want to Get Involved?
If your business or community group is in Ohio and looking for a practical way to support people returning from prison, JUMPSTART Ohio is actively building new volunteer teams and partnerships.
Reach out to our team to learn more about how JBM, JUMPSTART and our Fair Chance partners are working together. We’d love for you to be part of that story!