Transitioning Men from the Devastation of Their Past to a Thriving Future

PRESS RELEASE
December 28, 2022: For Immediate Release
Contact: Mr. Jamie Jordan, Board Chairman (843) 860-6462

SHIELD Ministries is excited to announce expansion of the Community of Hope Program Educational and
Worship Center to Colleton County. SHIELD’s program services include pre-release, post-release and prison
intervention which addresses all re-entry barriers through 5 Pillars of Service: Crisis Stabilization, Regulatory
Compliance, Cognitive Behavioral Learning, Workforce Development, and Spiritual Development. The Colleton
County campus will be used as a Phase I Educational Center which provides cognitive behavior classes, inner
healing, financial classes, and job readiness classes along with vocational classes. Men are supervised and
reintegrated into the society through this Phase I program and then are re-located to one of the two current North
Charleston locations to complete Phase II and III.

SHIELD Ministries, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, began in 2007 by Executive Director, David Truluck,
after being charged with a felony in 2002, began professional counseling with William Burke, Ph.D. LPC Forensic
Psychologist, MUSC and mentoring and counseling by Chaplain David Golden, which resulted in life-changing
cognitive, spiritual and emotional inner healing. David’s healing journey inspired him to begin to help others
transition from the devastation of their past to a thriving future. SHIELD Ministries has worked with over 2,000
men, including the homelessness, substance abusers, and those with various criminal backgrounds, including sex
offences. Since establishing the educational housing program in 2012, SHIELD has seen a 0% recidivism rate in
men who are graduates of the program. Ray Nash, currently with Police Dynamics and former Dorchester County
Sheriff, runs the background checks on the SHIELD participants and graduates that are used to report the annual
recidivism rate. “Part of SHIELD’s untold story is the men who had extensive criminal histories prior to entering
the SHIELD program, who have not reoffended” says Nash.

Men are referred into the program from law enforcement agencies, the Public Defenders’ office, and various
rehabilitation programs. Additionally, 13 men have men court ordered into the SHIELD program by various
judges. Dr. William Burke, Forensic Psychologist, MUSC provides specialized treatment for the sex offender
population. Dr. Burke states, “The men at SHIELD Ministries have an overall lower recidivism rate and are more
compliant with treatment and probation parameters than the average offender in Charleston County (as well as
the Tri-County Area).”

SHIELD understands that ignoring criminal behavior and sexual abuse is much more dangerous than actively
confronting it, that is why the program uses the most successful treatment tools along with Christian mentoring.
SHIELD has become one of the most successful sex offender recovery programs in South Carolina and
understands the fear that can arise about this population.

D. Ashley Pennington, recently retired Ninth Circuit Public Defender, is a long-time proponent of the organization
and its programs. “Shield is a faith based and science based treatment program that requires accountability and
leads to real public safety” says Pennington. SHIELD is proactive in addressing public safety concerns. No one
likes or approves of sexual abuse or other criminal behavior. SHIELD Ministries is dedicated to eliminating
wrongful behavior from the lives of the program participants through evidence based cognitive behavior classes
where men learn to think, feel, and choose correctly.

SHIELD Ministries works closely with law enforcement agencies at the local, county, state and federal level to
provide accountability through a structured program that decreases recidivism and government cost of
rehabilitation, as well as increased regulatory compliance (ensuring men are compliant with their community
supervision requirements (Probation/Parole/Registry), public safety, as well as a positive economic impact.