Community Service
Staff
It is the goal of the facility and staff to be good neighbors and active participants in community service and events throughout the year. Staff enthusiastically participate in various activities and drives each year. A favorite of all staff is the Relay for Life of Caroline County. This annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society unites the staff as a family with the local community.
In 2008, a contest was held to choose a permanent PCRJ Relay Team name. The night of the Relay, the 'PCRJ Cell Blockers' were announced for the first time and proudly took a lap under the new moniker. The Cell Blockers raised nearly $4,000 in 2008! Plans are underway for the 2009 event.
PCRJ staff continues to partner with the Caroline County Department of Social Services to support social activities throughout the year. Hygiene items, school supplies and non-perishable food items are collected and donated at various intervals. A financial donation is given to support Operation Shoebox during the Christmas season. Approximately $200 was collected and donated to the Optimist Club in November 2008.
Staff also participate in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, and for several years have supported the Caroline County Sheriff's Department and the Fire & Rescue Departments by donating stuffed toys for these organizations to give children who may be distressed when they arrive on a call. Since the year 2000, staff have donated 1, 943 stuffed toys.
Inmates
Even our inmates make a contribution to the community. Local schools and youth organizations are invited to the facility to participate in our Straight From the Hip Program. Straight From the Hip is made up of inmates who volunteer to speak to youth regarding personal experiences with drugs, crime, doing time and gangs. There is no loud talking, threats or shouting - just plain, straight talk.
The female inmates crochet blankets, which are donated to Project Linus, a national non-profit organization who assists traumatized children. Since the start of the program in March 2001, the inmates have created over 1,470 blankets.
Beautiful Beginnings is a program created for male inmates to create headpieces to be donated to the Massey Cancer Center in Richmond for use by cancer patients who have lost their hair due to treatment. As of September 2006, over 240 headpieces have been donated.
Inmates at the Peumansend Creek Regional Jail are given the opportunity to participate in the 'Locks of Love' program by donating their hair to create wigs for cancer patients. So far, 23 inmates have participated in this program.
In 2006, PCRJ introduced a new program called 'Comfort Keepers' in which inmates may volunteer to crochet and stuff pillows to be donated to area hospitals. Since its start, 132 pillows have been produced and donated.
Storytime is a program created for minimum custody inmates to maintain ties with family members. The inmates may select a children's book and read the book on a cassette tape to send to their children. The program is strictly voluntary and monitored by designated volunteers.
During the 2006 Relay for Life® in Caroline County, an inmate hand-labeled all of the luminary bags for the ceremony. His talent of calligraphy was shared with the residents of Caroline County, making every bag truly special.