Recently, although it’s been around since 1999, I discovered a marvelous family-protecting organization called Get on the Bus. They make sure that children don’t lose contact with their parents who are in prison. That’s a lot of kids–200,000 CA kids have a parent who is incarcerated, 1.5 + million kids in the U.S.
Get on the Bus brings groups of kids and their caregivers to share a day with Mom or Dad. They provide free transportation, a travel bag, a photo with their parent, and food for the day. When they’re on their way home each child is given a teddy bear and a note from the parent.
This is great for families, who often fall away after a person is in prison a year. It removes the fear of visiting a prison and encourages those who can visit on their own to do so. It helps keep inmates in touch with family and the Outside, making reintegrating into society once released easier and more possible, thus lessening the chance of being a repeat offender.
Read more about Get on the Bus at their website. Then, if you don’t live in CA, see about getting a similar program going in your state. It’s a win-win for everyone.
