On Sunday morning, board members of the Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership (COIPP) were decked out in holiday clothes, including glittery headbands and red-and-green sweaters, at the visiting entrance of the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.
On Christmas Eve, the members waited behind tables to greet visitors to the prison with cookies, hot cocoa, and plush animals. One member was playing Christmas songs behind the tables.
Pat Einhorn, a board member of COIPP, stated that visiting a loved one in prison isn’t a “fun thing”; the Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership aims to ease the process for both children and adults.
Einhorn underscored the importance of separating the consequences of parental mistakes from their children, pointing out that when a parent is incarcerated, society tends to negatively stereotype the child. Additionally, Einhorn argued for equal opportunities, asserting that these children deserve validation on par with any other child.
A nonprofit organization, the Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership, works to advocate on behalf of kids whose parents are behind bars. According to Einhorn, the group has been setting up tables at the detention center over the Christmas season for a number of years.
The Frederick County Adult Detention Center supplied and donated the items that the members distributed to the kids. while, a few days ago, prisoners made the cookies.
People hung about the tables, chatting with the nonprofit members over hot cocoa and snacks, while they waited to visit the offenders or after their visit was over.
Rita Duncan, a resident of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, had traveled to the correctional facility to see her son. Duncan also brought her grandson, who received a plush bear from the partnership’s members and was thrilled to see his dad.
She wanted to come visit to offer her support and love for her grandson. Duncan mentioned that her family celebrates Christmas Eve together each year. She said that her son has multiple siblings, and it has been difficult for one of them to be away from home.
Duncan added that the nonprofit’s tables helped lighten the mood throughout the visit.
She highlighted the significance of making visits comfortable and enjoyable, expressing appreciation for the thoughtful gesture to enhance the environment, particularly considering the potentially cold atmosphere.
In agreement with Duncan, Michelle Rankin declared that the partnership’s tables outside the visitor entry were “wonderful.”
Rankin was spending time with her cousin; often, she accompanies her daughter, but she was unable to do so on Sunday. She felt it was vital to visit her cousin on Christmas Eve as a sign of support, even though she has been seeing her every week.
Rankin commended COIPP for taking the time to cheer up children and other family members whose loved ones are behind bars during the holidays.
Touched with emotion, Rankin reflected on the genuine spirit of Christmas—communities supporting each other. She found it impressive that there’s a comfortable space for children in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center. She added that the committed board members opted to spend their Christmas Eve supporting both their community and others, truly embodying the essence of Christmas.
Source: https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/crime_and_justice/prison/nonprofit-spreads-holiday-cheer-with-cookies-toys-at-detention-center/article_272c94cf-7d11-5aac-97df-f88f70798703.html