Kinwood H. Devore founded the Metropolitan Fresh Start House in 1989. He served as executive director of the Metropolitan Fresh Start House for over 30 years. Kinwood’s leadership and teaching at the Fresh Start program led many to find, and serve Jesus Christ. He’s counseled those with substance use disorders and their families for more than 30 years. He served as Chaplain for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office at Santa Rita Jail for seven years; five of those years as Supervising Chaplain. His position involved managing more than 300 volunteers from many different religious faiths to work together as a team to share a general message with the inmates that might cause them to never again return to custody.

Kinwood DeVore grew up in San Francisco where he attended elementary, junior high, and high school, as well as City College of San Francisco where he was a track star. He moved to the East Bay where he graduated from the Bay Area School of Religion in 1974. From there he moved to Southern California, where he worked as Minister of Evangelism for the Inglewood Church of Christ, then as Preacher and Minister for the West Adams Church of Christ in Los Angeles. He returned to his beloved San Francisco in 1988, for one reason: to save lives in the city he loves. He founded the Metropolitan Church of Christ which after 25 years merged with the Bayview Church of Christ in San Francisco.

Kinwood’s vision of Restoring Men to Dignity, Productivity, Responsibility and Purpose lives on. The Metropolitan Fresh Start House is proud to continue the race Kinwood Devore started and led for over thirty years.

Please help keep the dream alive. Consider giving to this worthy cause. Make your tax-deductible gift today!