Editor’s Note: This is the seventh installment in a series of articles focused on the partner agencies and programs that are served by the United Way in Montgomery County.
This profile will cover two partner agencies that fulfill the same purpose. Trinity Life Ministry is a 12-month residential program for adult men who are seeking recovery from substance abuse. Through the Gate is an eight-month program for adult women who are either recovering from addiction or from traumatic experiences. Both are rooted in the Christian faith.
Through the Gate
Founded in 2014 by husband and wife team Steve and Janet Covington, Through the Gate’s program is tailored to not only help women through life struggles, but also to train them in life skills. These can include cooking healthy meals; obtaining a GED; and seeking medical care if they’re in need of it. The goal is for residents to not only survive, but to thrive after graduation.
“We try to offer everything you can think of to help our residents reset life and get them back on their feet,” Steve said. “From communication skills to basic math, our structure is tailored for each individual’s needs.”
Steve comes from an industrial background having worked in local corporations like Nucor Steel and Raybestos. On the side, he was a pastor at a small church in Montgomery County while also offering counseling to those who sought it. At first, he never could’ve imagined starting an organization like Through the Gate.
“I had been invited by the chaplain at Rockville Women’s Prison to come in and teach a class and maybe do some counseling,” Steve said. “I was a little nervous; I had never done anything like that before. I went in, and it was awesome. It felt great to serve in that way.”
One day following a service, Steve was approached regarding a group wanting to put together a men’s reentry program. It was at this point where he recognized a need that he believed had to be filled.
“One of the things I recognized with a lot of the women in the prison was that as they were getting ready to be released, they were scared; they didn’t know what to do,” Steve said. “There were a lot of men’s programs, however there weren’t that many for women. I brought that up one night during a meeting, and that was when the gears switched. From that day forward, it became so clear that was where we were supposed to go.”
Through the Gate serves an average of 36 women annually, with 42 coming in throughout 2025. Around 76% of those who graduated don’t go back into the prison system. Some of them even return as a staff member, helping others who were once in their shoes.
“One graduate messaged me back in May saying that they were now an assistant manager at a deli they were working at,” Janet said. “Another got to see their grandkids again after dealing with alcohol abuse. To us, success is measured based on seeing our graduates thrive, whether that’s through reuniting with their families or stepping up in their careers.”
Despite being a faith-based program, the organization welcomes all who seek assistance.
“We’re here to help people, and we understand that giving your life to Christ isn’t always what’s going to happen in the end,” Steve said.
Through the Gate is a nonprofit primarily funded through private donors, corporations, and churches. Due to their status as a Christian organization, finding money through grants is a challenge. Funds help cover food, personal hygiene supplies, and their transitional housing service. Some of the residents also receive meal assistance through SNAP, which has undergone substantial funding cuts in recent months.
“It’s not cheap to house 12 women,” Steve added. “You’re talking about utilities, food, electricity, staffing, and other often forgotten costs. However, we always try to keep expenses very low for our residents.”
Trinity Life Ministry
Coming up on its 42nd year of being in service, Trinity Life Ministry has evolved over its history. Based in Lafayette, the organization has expanded to Crawfordsville and recently to Linden. Each house is suited for the different phases each resident is going through, with the one in Linden being for program graduates who need extra time transitioning into a stable life outside the ministry.
“Most people didn’t get into addiction overnight, and you can’t get off of it within two or three weeks,” said Executive Director Phil Gabriel. “It’s a lifestyle that you learn, so we take a year to walk alongside our residents to help them out of it.”
Right now, nearly 100 residents are being served across the various houses, with services also being expanded to their respective families. Nearly 800 men have graduated from the program over the past four decades.
“We want to be the centerpoint for fellowship and community for all who come,” Gabriel added.
Gabriel has been an integral part of Trinity for nearly 13 years, having started as a coach in his first and worked his way up to being its director. When asked what got him into the nonprofit sector, he only answered one word: God.
“I didn’t have any addiction background initially,” Gabriel said. “I got to do some incredible things in my life, and when He brought me here to Trinity, it made good sense that this was where I needed to be.”
Like Through the Gate, all those who come seeking help are welcome; no matter their religious affiliation.
“We don’t turn people away based on those considerations at all,” Gabriel said. “We’re just here to get our residents back on our feet.”
All graduates keep in contact with their coaches upon leaving, ensuring healthy connections during times both good and bad.
“We’ve seen guys who’ve reunited with their families; we’ve seen guys who receive job training; and we’ve seen guys get back on their feet financially,” Gabriel said. “Our goal of success is for our residents to be a man of God in their personal and professional lives.”
Five coaches are at the Crawfordsville facility, while one leads the facility in Linden. The organization also supports its ministry thrift stores, where all proceeds help fund its rehab facilities.
“All of our staff are very effective teachers and mentors,” Gabriel added.
Like Through the Gate, Trinity Life Ministry is a nonprofit that relies heavily on sponsorships and donations. According to Gabriel, each resident costs about $20,000 to support annually, which adds up to about $1.9 million in total when factoring in 95 of them.
“We charge about 100 bucks a week for rent,” Gabriel said. “Out of $20,000, they may be giving back two or three thousand in a year’s time, so the rest of that difference has to come from somewhere. Our men are trying to get back on their feet, so we want to keep costs as minimal as possible.”
How the United Way helps
Both Through the Gate and Trinity Life Ministry are partner agencies of the United Way in Montgomery County. For Through the Gate, funds help cover job development training as part of its Cradle to Career commitment, as well as supplies for its cleaning company. For Trinity, funds helped cover its recent expansion to Linden through a statewide matching grant.
In 2025, the United Way in Montgomery County has given Through the Gate $10,000. Through the Indiana United Ways’ Statewide Capital Projects Initiative, they matched $600,000 to help cover Trinity Life Ministry’s recent Linden expansion.
“Not only does the United Way help cover monetary needs, but also through initiatives like First Door,” Janet said. “You’re not just helping one program; you’re helping a lot of programs locally who are on shoestring budgets.”
“Your dollar helps fulfill the compassion need in our community,” Gabriel said. “Not everyone is trained to help people in addiction or homelessness, but you can help by contributing. We don’t get federal grants, so these funds help ensure local organizations like ours remain open to serve.”
The United Way in Montgomery County is raising $320,000 in 2026 to help local non-profits like Through the Gate and Trinity Life Ministry to continue providing their services. Learn more about their impacts by visiting www.uwlafayette.org/montgomery.
To learn more about Through the Gate, visit throughthegate.org. To learn more about Trinity Life Ministry, visit trinitylifeministry.com.
Kurtis Broadstreet is the 2026 campaign chair for the United Way in Montgomery County.
