The We Care Program is pleased to announce Don Metzler as its new president, according to a press release from the non-profit prison ministry organization.

Metzler brings more than a decade of ministry experience to the We Care Program, having served as its vice president for the past 11 years. He began his new position Friday, Aug. 1.

The leadership transition was formally celebrated that same day, during a service at the Brooks Memorial Church. During that service, outgoing president David R. Landis officially “passed the torch” to Metzler. Representatives from the Alabama Department of Corrections, We Care staff, family and friends were in attendance.

“I count it a privilege to stand before you today and to accept this new leadership role,” Metzler said, during the celebration. “I want to begin by thanking God, who has blessed me with gifts and talents that have developed as I served in different roles over the years.

“I also want to acknowledge that I will be totally dependent on God’s guidance, provision and power to fulfill the requirement of this new role.”

As president of the We Care Program, Metzler will oversee an organization that has been ministering in Alabama prisons for more than 40 years. Thirty staff and volunteer chaplains serve in 15 different facilities by assisting the state chaplains and ministering to the inmates.

The We Care Program also provides other outreach opportunities through the annual “ReNew Hope” event, which draws in 400 volunteers from all over the U.S.; the summer softball outreach when teams go into prison to play ball with the inmates; and an eight-month internship for young adults.

Landis also spoke at Friday’s service, and expressed his thanks to everyone who helped him during his time as the organization’s president. He joined the We Care Program in 1999 and became president two years later.

“It is with thanksgiving and gratitude that I stand with you today,” he said.

In an essay written for We Care’s The Connection magazine, Landis expressed additional thoughts about his tenure.

“My time at We Care has been filled with the richest of blessings,” he wrote. “During my tenure as president, I have had the privilege to work with 110 staff persons and 1,556 Crusade/ReNew Hope volunteers. I, along with he team here at We Care, have benefited from the generosity of 5,542 donors and countless prayer intercessors.

“I am so very grateful, and I praise and thank God for each one who has contributed in some way.
“Now, as I pass the baton of leadership over to my friend Don, I ask that you join me in supporting Don and praying that God will ‘do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think’ (Eph. 3:20). If the Lord tarries, I believe God will use Don and the entire We Care team to ensure that this organization continues and expands its efforts to ‘Proclaim Christ and Disciple Inmates’ for many years to come.”

Atmore Advance staff member Allison Brown assisted with this story.