Walking into the Wildwood Correctional Facilities feels intimidating but that atmosphere was different Friday in the gymnasium, where Salvation Army staff and volunteers had set up tables filled with toys.
As volunteers assisted each inmate choose an age-appropriate Christmas gift for their child/children, organizer Jeannie Fanning of Salvation Army process of getting those presents out for Christmas.
Volunteers from the Mormon church will help package the gifts; she says the return address put on those parcels is simply Salvation Army’s P.O. Box, not the name of the charity.
Fanning: “So it looks like it’s coming directly from the father to the child, we don’t need to be a part of this in the kids eyes. This is all about the kids and the whole purpose of this is that when these gentlemen get out they’re going to hopefully have a connection or something to talk about with this kid.”
She says she organizes the program each year because children should not pay for their family members’ mistakes and the program is the inmates’ only option.
Wildwood Facility Standard Sergeant James Milburn says the program works two-fold, both helping the mens’ children during the holidays and contributing to better behavior among those in jail.
Sgt. Milburn: “Especially during the holiday season there’s a lot of depression that comes into the institution because the guys are depressed because they’re in jail right now, they’re not with their families, they can’t spend time with their kids during this time of the year and it gives them a little bit of hope that their child is going to receive something from them so it’s going to make them happy on that end and in turn creates a lot of happiness within themselves.”
Wildwood’s Mental Health Clinician Elaine Olson says the event is also a good way for the inmates to witness community members giving selflessly.
Michael Worden was among the approximately 34 inmates who participated in the toy choosing event on Friday.
Worden: “It’s kind of a humbling experience, you know, but it’s a great opportunity, I mean I’m excited, I thought there was going to be more people.”
He says spending the holidays in jail is proving to be more of a wake up call than he thought it would be and he is thankful for Salvation Army’s program.
