When Tom Bowser and his wife founded Fishbone Ministries in the early 2000s, local churches they consulted warned them against “going to The Island” with their mission. They cautioned it wouldn’t be a safe place to reach out to youth and their families who needed the extra support.

Bowser disagreed. He did exactly what Jesus would have wanted him to do — he sought out the people who needed him the most and committed to serving them in their communities.

In a recent sit down with the Butler Eagle (“Fishbone Ministries brings Christ, community to Butler’s youth,” Sept. 23, 2026), Bowser shared how he pursued his vision and how doing the one thing he was warned not to do has produced a fruitful outcome.

He told the Eagle he felt compelled to do something after a friend of his died from a heroin overdose. His heart led him in the direction of some of the hardest-luck communities in Butler County. Today, the nonprofit operates three weekly activities: a youth group, a kids program and a family chapel service from its permanent home on Shore Street.

The organization’s success is a stark reminder that it takes a community to enact change. It takes a willingness to go to the hard places and do the hard things to change people’s lives.

Data from the National Institutes of Health support the notion that community-led initiatives like Bowser’s are one of the most effective, nonpunitive methods for lowering crime rates and mitigating substance abuse and other health issues.

Public health researchers call this phenomenon collective efficacy — the idea that trust is built when neighbors look out for one another. Nonprofits that create programs to address social isolation bridge the gap, directly contributing to measurable drops in crime and addiction relapse, among other things.

In its “The Power of 10” report, the Brennan Center for Justice analyzed 264 U.S. cities over 20 years. What it found was that for every 10 additional community nonprofits formed per 100,000 residents, a city experiences a 9% reduction in homicide rates, a 6% reduction in violent crime and a 4% reduction in property crime.

It’s further evidence the willingness of people like the Bowsers to serve their community where they’re needed the most makes a difference. It’s worth the time and effort to go to the hard places and serve with love, rather than judgment. We need more — not fewer — people like them willing to step up to the plate and go where the need is greatest.

— SB