This place is a dream come true for people coming out of prison. The staff are caring, professional, and devoted to helping the formerly incarcerated reenter society with dignity and confidence.
Team Member Profile & Bio
Introduction
For more than four decades, Cleveland (“Cleve”) Bell III has served as the guiding force behind Riverside House, a faith-based non-profit in Miami dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals, and people experiencing homelessness, rebuild their lives. His leadership is rooted in lived experience, deep compassion, and an unwavering commitment to redemption, accountability, and renewed purpose.
Once incarcerated himself, Cleve embodies the transformation he now champions. His personal journey — marked by perseverance, faith, and integrity — has inspired thousands, and positioned him as a nationally respected leader in offender reentry, rehabilitation, and faith-based recovery. Today, he remains central to Riverside House’s mission of offering structured support, spiritual guidance, and real opportunities for long-term stability.
Executive Overview
Since 1977, Cleve has led Riverside House through continuous expansion and impact. What began as a 12-bed residential program with a $20,000 annual budget has grown into a 120-bed center with multimillion-dollar capacity. Under his stewardship, Riverside House provides comprehensive wraparound services, including employment support, life-skills training, substance-abuse counseling, pastoral care, and emergency shelter resources.
For more than four decades, Cleveland ("Cleve") Bell III has served as the Executive Director of Riverside House, a faith-based nonprofit organization in Miami dedicated to guiding formerly incarcerated individuals and people experiencing homelessness toward renewed lives of purpose, faith, and productivity.
Once incarcerated himself, Cleve's story of transformation is a living testimony to the power of redemption and second chances. His personal journey — marked by perseverance, faith, and compassion — has inspired thousands and positioned him as a nationally recognized leader and expert in offender reentry, rehabilitation, and faith-based recovery.
Under Cleve's visionary leadership since 1977, Riverside House has grown from a small 12-bed residential facility with a $20,000 annual budget into a robust 120-bed center with a budget exceeding $2 million annually. The organization now provides comprehensive wraparound services with a spiritual foundation, including employment support, life skills training, substance abuse counseling, and pastoral care. Through its Residential Reentry Program and Emergency Shelter for the Homeless, Riverside House continues to transform lives and strengthen communities across South Florida.
Cleve developed the Pastoral Care Program at Riverside House, which offers daily spiritual support and weekly chapel services led by a dedicated chaplain and volunteer team. His leadership is rooted in a non-denominational message of faith — introducing residents to a loving and forgiving God who offers hope, healing, and transformation.
Beyond Riverside House, Cleve's influence has extended nationally and internationally. He serves as an original committee member of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, where his work helped establish over 5,000 beds for homeless individuals and families and contributed to the county's ten-year plan to end homelessness. He also served on the International Community Corrections Association's Strategic Planning Task Force, helping craft language later adopted into the Second Chance Act of 2007 — landmark legislation supporting the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals.
As a motivational and spiritual speaker, Cleve has shared his message of hope and restoration on television, radio, and at conferences around the world. He has been a featured keynote speaker for organizations including Kairos Prison Ministry International, Florida Episcopal Diocese Prison Ministry, and numerous national and international faith-based conferences, including in Australia. His presentations before Congress and countless community groups have advocated for compassion, prevention, and rehabilitation for those impacted by incarceration.
Cleve is also a founding member of Kairos Prison Ministry International, now active in 33 states and 5 countries with over 20,000 volunteers, providing spiritual retreats and mentorship programs to men and women behind bars. In addition, he has consulted on multiple faith-based treatment and jail ministry initiatives, including Calvary Chapel's Calvary Residential House and Kairos Horizon Communities in Prison, helping faith-based organizations design structured reentry and discipleship programs.
An accomplished musician, Cleve earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Management from Florida International University. He has also served as a Volunteer Associate Chaplain for the Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat, continuing his lifelong commitment to mentoring and spiritual guidance in every arena.
Today, Cleve remains devoted to helping others "bloom where they are planted," living out his calling to bring hope and restoration to individuals seeking a new beginning.
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Organizational Leadership & Oversight
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Program Development & Expansion
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Community & Government Partnerships
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Advocacy & Engagement Development
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Strategic Planning & Long-Term Vision
Memberships & Affiliations
Community Leadership Roles
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Program Founder Celebrate Recovery Spiritual Twelve Step program serving approximately 200 individuals weekly addressing addiction, and related life challenges.
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Pastoral Care Program Developer Designed and implemented Riverside House's Pastoral Care Program providing daily spiritual support, and weekly chapel services through a chaplain and trained volunteers.
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Prison Ministry Leadership Founding and ongoing leadership within Kairos Prison Ministry International, delivering three-day spiritual retreats, and mentorship programs in prisons across the United States, and internationally.
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Faith-Based Treatment Committee Member Florida Faith and Community-Based Treatment Committee for Substance Abuse, contributing to the design of collaborative models between faith-based, and community-based treatment providers.
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Advisory Committee Member Kairos Horizon Communities in Prison Advisory Committee, developing curriculum modules for an in-house faith-based dormitory at Tomoka Prison, Florida.
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Jail Ministry Architect Led the development of jail ministry guidebooks, monitoring tools, and leadership training frameworks for volunteers, and ministry leaders.
Professional & Advisory Contributions
Executive Director
Riverside House (July 1977 – Present), overseeing all operations, strategic planning, governance, and program implementation for a 120-bed residential reentry facility and emergency shelter.
Organizational Growth Leader
Expanded Riverside House from a 12-bed program with a $20,000 annual budget into a 120-bed center with a multimillion-dollar annual operating budget.
Residential Program Architect
Consultant for Calvary Residential House (50 beds) at Calvary Chapel, Fort Lauderdale; designed structured reentry programming, authored a Residential Guidebook, and hired and mentored the program director.
Homelessness Systems Contributor
Service Development Committee Chair for the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, contributing to the establishment of more than 5,000 beds and a countywide ten-year plan to end homelessness.
Strategic Planning Task Force Member
International Community Corrections Association; collaborated with national agencies to develop policy language later incorporated into the Second Chance Act of 2007.
Congressional Presenter
Presenter before the Government Information, Justice, and Agriculture Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives (101st Congress) on halfway houses, reentry services, and rehabilitation.
Motivational & Spiritual Speaker
Cleveland Bell Services; national and international speaker appearing on television, radio, and in print advocating for second chances, prevention, and effective reentry.
Education
Focus
Leadership Philosophy
"No one is defined by their past. At Riverside House, we build community, accountability, and hope."
Cleveland Bell Ill
News & Articles
A Home Run of Hope at the Marlins Game
At Riverside House, we are continually reminded of the power of kindness, and recently, that kindness came through in a big way thanks to our…
Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department Hosts 3rd Annual Reentry Month Awards Ceremony
April is nationally recognized as Reentry Month, a time to honor the individuals and organizations working tirelessly to help formerly incarcerated people transition back into…
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