CDCR, CCHCS help kids go back to school

August 7, 2026

CDCR and CCHCS staff are helping kids go back to school, gathering supplies and backpacks for youth in the community. At some institutions, the population also contributed, donating funds raised through food sales.

This round-up will be updated as more submissions are received. Email photos and a write-up to OPEC.submissions@cdcr.ca.gov.

Avenal State Prison helps community

Families receive supplies from Avenal State Prison staff to prepare to go back to school.

Avenal State Prison staff distribute school supplies and backpacks to families during a back-to-school event.

Avenal State Prison demonstrated its commitment to the community by participating in back-to-school supply distribution events for students in Avenal and Kettleman City July 28 and 31.

Staff helped provide more than 500 children with backpacks filled with essential school supplies. Each backpack included notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, colored pencils, markers, glue sticks, erasers, highlighters, calculators and other classroom necessities. The events, held at Avenal Middle School and Kettleman Elementary School, brought together families, volunteers and community partners.

The excitement and gratitude displayed by the students reflected the positive impact of the collaborative effort. By helping provide the tools needed for academic success, Avenal State Prison reinforced its dedication to serving the surrounding communities.

Submitted by Lt. P. Chavez

Centinela State Prison population donates to shoe drive

Children were escorted through the store to choose a new pair of shoes.

Centinela staff and the Citizens Advisory Committee helped with the local back-to-school shoe drive.

The Conrad Harrison Shoe Drive once again brought smiles and confidence to children across Imperial County Aug. 1 by providing 166 pairs of brand-new shoes to disadvantaged youth as they prepared for the new school year.

Coordinated by the Centinela Citizens Advisory Board and funded through incarcerated person-led charitable fundraising initiatives at Centinela State Prison, the annual event continues the legacy of the late Conrad Harrison.

In addition to new shoes, the event also provided gift cards to the Betty Jo McNeece Receiving Home and children from the Quechan Tribe (Kwtsán Community).

“Every child deserves to begin the school year feeling confident and valued,” said Alex Cardenas, member of the Centinela Citizens Advisory Board. “The Conrad Harrison Shoe Drive is about more than providing shoes. It’s also about investing in children, strengthening families and reminding every young person that their community believes in them. We’re proud to continue Conrad’s legacy of compassion and service.”

Volunteers from Centinela State Prison, Calvary Chapel and the community worked together to escort children through the store to select shoes. The event also featured refreshments and family-friendly activities.

“This event represents the very best of community partnership,” said Kenneth Phillips, Community Resources Manager at Centinela State Prison. “The generosity of our incarcerated population, combined with the dedication of our volunteers and community partners, continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of local children. It’s a privilege to see these funds transformed into hope for the next generation.”

The Centinela Citizens Advisory Board thanked volunteers, donors and community partners for making this year’s event a success.

Story by Ken Phillips, Community Resources Manager
Submitted by F.F. Castellanos, In-Service Training Manager
Photos by Centinela State Prison staff

Corcoran school supply drive benefits Kings County families

Back-to-school supply drive at CSP-Corcoran.

Thanks to the generosity of California State Prison-Corcoran staff, a back-to-school supply drive is benefiting students at Kings Community Action Organization, serving families throughout Kings County, and the Armona Refuge Center. CSP-Corcoran staff school supplies giveaway was held Aug. 5. Community events such as this not only benefit the recipients but also staff who donated.

Submitted by Lt. J. McIntyre

CTF-Soledad donates 100 backpacks, supplies

Backpacks and supplies for the older students in Soledad, California, donated by the Correctional Training Facility.

CTF-Soledad staff deliver backpacks and school supplies for a back-to-school drive in Soledad.

The Correctional Training Facility (CTF) Employee Action Committee, with the overwhelming support and generosity of staff, collected and donated more than 100 backpacks for children returning to school. They also donated an abundance of school supplies to benefit the Soledad Family Resource Center’s Back-to-School Resource Fair, held Aug. 1.

Over several weeks, CTF-Soledad employees donated a wide variety of essential classroom items, including backpacks, notebooks, binders, folders, pencils and pens, crayons, markers, glue sticks and other school necessities.

CTF staff support community youth

Children show off their new backpacks in Soledad, California, donated by the Correctional Training Facility staff.

The collection drive reflects staff’s commitment to supporting local youth, helping ensure students are equipped for a successful school year.

Members of the committee partnered with the Soledad Family Resource Center to distribute the donated backpacks and supplies. The center assists children and families throughout the Soledad community.

The event provided local families with much-needed resources while bringing together community organizations dedicated to supporting student success.

“The annual school supply drive is one of many ways CTF employees give back to the communities we serve. Through volunteerism, charitable giving and community partnerships, CTF staff continue to demonstrate public service extends beyond the institution’s walls,” said Ashley Baggett, Community Resources Manager.

Children wear their new backpacks, donated by CTF-Soledad.

“The generosity and compassion demonstrated by our staff continue to make me proud to serve alongside them,” said acting Warden C. Rojas. “By coming together to support the children and families of Soledad, our employees have shown the Correctional Training Facility’s commitment to public service extends well beyond our institution’s walls. I want to thank every employee who contributed. They are helping local students start the school year with the supplies they need to succeed. This donation represents more than backpacks and school supplies. It represents our staff’s dedication to strengthening our community and investing in the success of the next generation.”

Submitted by Lt. W. Landrum

Follow CDCR on YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter). Listen to the CDCR Unlocked podcast.

See more community involvement stories.