Children Honored for What They Endure

by Ida Patrice McCray

Last year our party was in San Pablo. This year we decided to expose our children to an environment few visit, one that is
different from the norm; a ship, a fantastically huge and glorious ship located at Pier 9 in Oakland. Thanks to the owner, Slobodan, who hosted this most wonderful event, the children got to see a pelican, and to be aboard a ship once used for voyages across the ocean.

The activities included Notty Dread, the clown soon to be a Ringling Brothers participant, Tinkers Workshop, and the Intertribal Friendship House Jack and Bonita. Safety was provided by volunteers from Montclair Presbyterian Church.

The party lasted for about 4 hours and there was never a dull moment. The children went from one activity to the next, commencing with the ceremonial circle of children who have loved ones locked away. These children are honored this day.

Too often in our day to day dealings, children are not honored for what they must endure. That is why Families With a Future, who transports children to see their incarcerated mothers, decided to begin a public and open forum once during the year.
One of the things that Families with a Future believes in strongly is that it is very important to keep the anonymity of our clients, their lives and information. Too often journalists want to ‘expose their lives’ and frankly they have had enough exposure from social service organizations, criminal injustice investigators and the like. This day is for them to be revered."

Those who are interested in becoming a volunteer or donating their services should read below to become a part of a grass roots service organization. Long Live the Poor and the Imprisoned. Maybe one day we can work for the preservation of families and pay them for it, instead of causing separation through lack of money and fast track adoption.

To all friends and supporters of the incarcerated.

GREAT NEWS! The National Institute of Corrections has awarded a grant to us to create a national model for services for children of prisoners. We are a collaborative of agencies: Community Works, Families with a Future (a project of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children) and the San Francisco Sheriff's Dept. Family Services Program. I've named the program SEEDS OF LIGHT and it is the vision I have long held for the children of prisoners. The primary interventions that will be implemented through this program are:
increased visitation for children; training of deputized/civilian staff;

*a referral system and/or therapist for immediate crisis intervention; cultural and recreational programs for a core group of children.

*A dedicated case manager will implement services for children of prisoners both in-custody and in the community.

It is imperative that we get feedback and support from all of you in the community that work with this population. We are asking for your help and advice in shaping this project. It is an opportunity to develop policy and programs for this radically underserved population that can benefit the work that all our organizations are trying to do. Part of the NIC initiative is a Resource Collaborative that will work on gathering statistics and changing policy. We can have all the programs in the world, but until we work on
changing the policies that are creating this overabundance of separated families, we're only putting a bandage on a giant wound. This is the first time that the National Institute of Corrections has focused on the children of the over 2 million citizens currently in jail or in prison. We know that these children are six times more likely than other children to wind up incarcerated themselves. The cycle must be stopped!

The problems are huge and this grant can only begin to address some of the issues that need our attention. We hope however that by collaborating, we can write more proposals, come up with more solutions, and build on this opportunity to help these seeds of light grow. Any ideas or suggestions on how we can build on this opportunity and any resources available that we can use for the children of prisoners would be most welcome.

If you're interested in staying in touch with us as we work through this program and build on it. Please contact us at idais@best.com. Thanks to all of you who have worked throughout the years to bring this issue into the light.