Many of the 195,000 children with parents in the California State Prison System can’t afford to visit, write, or call their parent.
With the help of students from St. Joseph High School and the Center for Restorative Justice Works, children with parents incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo County will get the chance for a visit on June 1.
Through the restorative justice center’s Get on the Bus program, children are bused to and from the prison; get breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and receive “stay in touch” bags that include stamps, stationery, picture frames, pens, and pencils.
Six years ago, students at St. Joseph High formed the Get on the Bus Club to support the program. They do their part by raising money for items in the bags, providing teddy bears for the children, writing welcome notes for the children to read as they arrive at the prison, and organizing a reception and prayer service for the children at a local church.
For more information on St. Joseph High’s participation in Get on the Bus, contact Elizabeth Gregory at 937-2038, Ext. 160, or by e-mail at Gregory@sjhsknights.com. For more information about the Get on the Bus program, visit getonthebus.com.
This article appears in May 23-30, 2013.
