Staff and volunteers took extra steps to make visiting special in March at CDCR facilities across the state. From St. Patrick’s Day to Easter celebrations, visiting rooms were decorated and children made to feel special through family friendly activities. Reentry programs also got into the holiday, hosting family reunification events.
Editor’s note: As more visiting event photos are submitted, this story will be updated. The events below are published in the order they were received.
California Rehabilitation Center visiting gets into St. Pat’s Day
The California Rehabilitation Center Visiting Unit distributed crayons, coloring/activity booklets and Lucky Charms snack bags to children who visited on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
Children wore vibrant shades of green attire and families enjoyed taking photographs with the festive backdrop.
“We take pride in providing welcoming events for visiting families and look forward to continuing this initiative for the incarcerated individuals and their families,” said the visiting staff.
Submitted by Lt. Joe Lopez
Easter made special at Central California Women’s Facility
On Saturday, March 30, Central California Women’s Facility acting Warden Anissa De La Cruz hosted an Easter event with the population, staff and visiting family in attendance. This event included face painting, coloring and corn hole, along with Easter baskets provided to the children. The Easter Bunny was on hand for family photos. Visiting staff and staff volunteers worked diligently to make this event a full success.
Acting Community Resource Manager Heather Betts and Administrative Officer of the Day Flavilla Singleton also attended. They agreed the event was a fun time filled with smiles and laughter.
“The visiting rooms were decorated and looked absolutely adorable for the incarcerated individuals and their families,” said Betts.
Submitted by Lt. Monique Williams
Easter celebration at Mule Creek State Prison
Mule Creek State Prison hosted an engaging Easter celebration bringing together kids, families, and their incarcerated loved ones. The Easter bunny distributed treats, families captured special moments in photos, and children enjoyed goody bags filled with treats and activities. This joyful gathering fostered togetherness and created lasting memories for all attendees.
Submitted by Lt. Beau Campbell
California Health Care Facility Visiting staff hosts Easter fun
Spring has definitely started to bloom at California Health Care Facility (CHCF). On Sunday, March 31, CHCF went above and beyond to ensure staff, visitors and incarcerated persons had a memorable Easter celebration. During CHCF’s Easter celebration, visitors and their loved ones were delighted to see wooden rabbits, trees, and shrubs crafted by CHCF’s incarcerated plant operations workers. The wooden designs gave the incarcerated people an opportunity to hide Easter eggs for their little loved ones to hunt during their visit. CHCF also had a special guest appearance from Peter Cottontail.
Submitted by Lt. Michelle Orozco
California Institution for Women Easter visiting event
The California Institution for Women (CIW) hosted and Easter Extravaganza in Visiting over the weekend. Visiting staff prepared Easter baskets and games for the children with activities available Friday through Sunday. The Easter baskets were filled with candy, plastic eggs and mini books thanks to donations from the Inmate Family Council and Gordon Philanthropists.
The Inmate Advisory Council manned the craft table, and the children were also able to participate in an Easter egg hunt. The children won prizes from the CIW gift closet based on the number of cardboard eggs they found.
“Today, let us celebrate the spirit of unity, kindness, and resilience that define us as a community. May this occasion bring you renewed strength, happiness, and a sense of fulfillment. May you find joy in the company of loved ones, and may your hearts be filled with hope for a brighter,” said acting Warden Lavelle Parker.
Submitted by Delinia Lewis, acting Chief Deputy Warden
California Institution for Men hosts Easter visiting
The California Institution for Men Visiting staff surprised visitors and their incarcerated loved ones this Easter weekend with a special appearance from Mr. Bunny. People had the opportunity to meet and take photographs with Mr. Bunny as they visited their loved ones.
Submitted by Lt. Paul Ybarra
CMC gets into Easter
The Californian Men’s Colony (CMC), in collaboration with the Inmate Family Council, hosted the “Some Bunny Loves Me” event in celebration of the Easter holiday.
The CMC Visiting room was decorated in Easter decorations and Peter Cottontail’s Bunny Trail Cafe served hot cocoa, coffee, and Easter goody bags. As a bonus, the family council provided new stuffed bunnies for all the children.
The event was a hit and provided an opportunity for all to enjoy a sense of family celebration.
Submitted by Lt. T. Eilers
High Desert hosts Visiting Easter Festival
High Desert State Prison (HDSP) Visiting staff and the Inmate Family Council collaborated to make this Easter extra special. Holiday events are guaranteed hits among kids and family, and Easter is no exception. With so many fun traditions it was important to ensure this event was memorable.
Each of HDSP’s five visiting rooms hosted an Epic Easter Egg Hunt where Peter Cottontail provided each child with an Easter basket. Together, families went on the hunt for candy filled eggs and searched for the prized golden egg. Each facility had one golden egg. The lucky child who found the egg won a kite or bubble maker.
Family’s celebrated spring’s arrival with games, coloring activities, traditional egg dyeing. The most important part of the day was celebrating together.
One visitor said, “One of my favorite things about Easter is the egg hunt. Today allowed us to continue our tradition as a family.”
Submitted by Lt. J. Micone
Wasco State Prison-Reception Center hosts Easter event
The Visiting staff were hard at work creating a special event at Wasco State Prison-Reception Center. The incarcerated population on Facility A and their families enjoyed arts and crafts, a bean bag toss, bunny earring-toss games along with some candy and popcorn. Every child also received a goody bag with treats on their way out of visiting processing. It was a morning of fun and laughter for the visiting families.
Submitted by Lt. J. Farley
Pleasant Valley State Prison hosts egg hunt
Pleasant Valley State Prison Visiting staff worked hard to make this Easter special for the population and their families. Visting staff, with some help from loved ones, hosted an Easter egg hunt and provided every child with an Easter basket filled with treats. “Today was a blessed day, to be able to sit with my husband while watching our kids have an Easter egg hunt,” said one family member.
Submitted by Lt. Jason Martin
Valley State Prison hosts Easter event
Valley State Prison’s Easter Visiting Event brought warmth and joy to incarcerated and their families, creating a memorable day. Lt. A. Sawma, reflecting on the event, emphasized the delight on everyone’s faces, from the children to the visitors and the incarcerated population.
“For that time, everyone let their guard down and enjoyed being together on Easter Sunday,” Lt. Sawma said.
The Easter Bunny was a highlight of the event, engaging the children with face painting activities, adding to the festive atmosphere.
The Inmate Family Council (IFC) played a pivotal role in making the event a success. Their efforts included gathering and donating an assortment of treats such as cookies, cupcakes, and coins for photos. Additionally, families had the opportunity to engage in crafting activities together, creating picture frames adorned with magnets, ensuring they could take home cherished memories of the day.
Collaboration was key to the event’s success, as Custody staff, Community Resource Manager’s Office staff and the IFC facilitated a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees. From decorating the backdrop to providing essential resources, everyone contributed to creating a vibrant and welcoming environment.
“Our goal was to create a fun and safe Easter for everyone in visiting and I feel we accomplished that. Everyone came together to make it a fun and safe experience for all,” said Lt. Sawma.
Submitted by Lt. H. Gastelum
Pelican Bay’s Easter visiting event
Pelican bay State Prison Visiting Staff got into the spirit of Easter by putting up decorations and preparing baskets for the kids. Staff handed out the Easter baskets with a crocheted animal for each child. The crocheted animals were donated from the hobby craft group on D Facility.
“Thank you to the exceptional staff who in one way or another participate in this event, ensuring our population and their families had a happy and memorable Easter Holiday,” said acting Warden Stephen Smith.
Submitted by Lt. S. Leon
MCRP Los Angeles 2 hosts family Easter event
The Male Community Reentry Program (MCRP) Los Angeles 2 recently hosted an Easter family reunification event on March 31. Approximately 150 family members of participants attended the event. MCRP staff and participants served nachos, popcorn, cheesecake, and snow cones to all who attended. Families enjoyed lunch in the outdoor courtyard and dining room while listening to music and playing board games. Each child who attended also received an Easter basket and participated in an egg hunt.
In addition, the event offered face painting, a bounce house and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Many MCRP participants who did not have families in attendance volunteered to help with setup, cleanup, food service, and the many other essential tasks. Thanks to the staff, volunteers, and all in attendance for a successful event. The Division of Rehabilitative Programs (DRP) believes events such as these are vital for family reunification which is essential in the rehabilitation process.
Submitted by the Division of Rehabilitative Programs
Centinela State Prison hosts Easter event
Centinela State Prison Visiting Department, along with the Inmate Family Council (IFC), hosted a three-day Easter event. Visitors and their incarcerated loved ones participated in an Easter egg hunt and photos with the Easter Bunny, treat bag for the kids, and a coloring contest. Different Easter treats were offered each day. These activities provided a welcome distraction from the challenges of incarceration, allowing families to create lasting memories.
The atmosphere during the Easter event was one of celebration. The population expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share this special time with their loved ones. Families, in turn, appreciated the chance to reconnect with their incarcerated relatives in a meaningful way.
The success of the event underscored the importance of fostering connections and promoting positive experiences for those impacted by incarceration.
Story submitted by Visiting Lt. L. Verdugo
CSP-Corcoran hosts Easter visiting event
According to the California State Prison-Corcoran’s Visiting Department, the Easter event was a major success. This year’s event started in the visiting rooms and carried all the way to the visiting processing areas. Supervisors, Visiting Processing Officers, and Visiting Room Officers along with the Inmate Family Council (IFC) came together to make Easter special for the visitors and incarcerated individuals.
Visitors and incarcerated individuals created Easter egg baskets along with custom picture frames in the visiting rooms. CSP-Corcoran is dedicated to offering spaces such as visiting where the incarcerated individuals have an opportunity to heal and stabilize prior to reentry into our communities.
The Visiting Department and the IFC had a special surprise for the children on Easter. As the visitors were exiting the visiting rooms, they were met by officers excited to hand out candy-filled Easter eggs to be placed into the Easter baskets the kids made.
Submitted by Visiting Sgt. D. Willard and Lt. D. Loop
Parole, reentry partners host first Easter egg hunt
On March 30, the Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) and community partners hosted a family friendly Easter event for those on parole and probation. The family reunification event aids reentry efforts while fostering positive family relationships.
Community partners included Inland Empire Rebound, Children’s Fund Network, and staff from the Cal-State San Bernardino Re-Entry Initiative program.
Inland Empire Rebound, an agency who assists those on parole/probation with required programming, classes, job assistance, and life skills, hosted the inaugural Easter Egg Hunt at the New Hope Family Life Center in San Bernardino.
Rain moved the event indoors. Easter baskets donated by DAPO staff from both the San Bernardino and Riverside Parole Districts, as well as other partners, were distributed to the children. Door prizes were available and lunch was served. Children of parolee and community members were treated to the festivities and a great time was had by all.
Submitted by DAPO
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