CDCR staff continue to help children and families by donating new backpacks and back-to-school supplies through fundraisers and drives. (See our earlier backpack drives story.)
Valley State Prison raises $2,000 for school supplies
Through its Badges with Buckets event, the Community Resource Office of Valley State Prison raised more than $2,000.
Complex II Captain J. Mensing, AA/PIO Lieutenant H. Gastelum, Officer G. Lopez, and Community Resource Manager (A) T. Costa arrived early to gather donations from staff members reporting for duty. School supplies for the 2022–23 academic year were purchased using the money raised by the Badges with Buckets event, allowing staff to purchase 360 backpacks as well as school supplies.
The backpacks were distributed by CDCR staff to regional educational institutions:
- Central Valley Regional Education Center
- Chowchilla High School
- Madera Unified School District
- Madera County Superintendents of Schools.
Month-long CCC school supply drive is annual tradition
From July 18 through August 15, California Correctional Center (CCC) held a school supply drive. CCC collected donations from staff and the C.A.R.E. program, providing supplies to seven schools in Lassen County.
Each school received backpacks filled with school supplies, as well as a large box of additional supplies to pass out to children or teachers in need.
Supply boxes contained lunch boxes, crayons, calculators, binders, pencils, paper, pens, erasers, markers, highlighters, and all things needed for a successful school year.
School officials expressed their appreciation for the supplies, saying students would also be grateful. CCC staff are dedicated to helping those in the community and showing support and kindness throughout.
CCC’s annual back-to-school drive is just one of the many events the institution is involved with to make a difference in the community.
Submitted by Lieutenant Adelaido Rodriguez
Calipatria State Prison staff collect over 450 backpacks
Staff at Calipatria State Prison recently collaborated with the Niland Chamber of Commerce and Calipatria Latin American Club to hold a back-to-school supply drive. In all, 457 new backpacks stuffed with school supplies were contributed to the drive, including 108 backpacks from prison staff. In addition to backpacks, students at Calipatria Unified School District received free haircuts and snow cones.