The holiday season is a time when many British Columbians reach out and help those in need. This year, that includes BC Corrections staff and inmates at all nine correctional centres and the 55 community corrections offices in B.C.

They have embraced the holiday spirit with both familiar and new campaigns, all aimed at making a difference in their communities.

Blankets for Rwanda

• Inmates at the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women continue their annual tradition of crocheting blankets for Rwanda. The 150 blankets are for the Mum's Health Project in Kigeme, Rwanda.

Adopt a Family Program

• Correctional centres are supporting a community family by fulfilling the family members' Christmas wish lists and providing all the fixings for Christmas dinner. Some centres have raised nearly $1,000 per year per family.

• Both staff and inmates are involved. The participating centres include Prince George Regional Correctional Centre, Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre, Fraser Regional Correctional Centre, Ford Mountain Correctional Centre and the North Fraser Pretrial Centre.

Donations to local food bank and Christmas hampers

• Donations are being collected by staff at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, Nanaimo Correctional Centre, Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre, Fraser Regional Correctional Centre, Ford Mountain Correctional Centre and the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre.

• Inmates are making donations to local food banks and Christmas hampers at the Vancouver Island Correctional Centre and the Ford Mountain Correctional Centre.

Additional staff and inmate projects

• Surrey Pretrial Services Centre staff are running a Coats for Kids program, Christmas hamper sales with profits to a community charity, and making contributions to a gift program for children of inmates. Also, they are donating to the Empty Stocking Fund.

• The Surrey Pretrial Services Centre will again participate in the Surrey Family Christmas Bureau campaign by donating handcrafted Christmas stockings to a local school where children will decorate them for families in need.

• At the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre, inmates are providing toques for children for the Salvation Army and blankets for local shelters. Staff are volunteering for the local Salvation Army Kettle Campaign.

• Inmates at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre and the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre made working wooden toys and items to donate to schools and local non-profits.

• Staff and inmates at the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women are helping to wrap presents and organizing a dinner for the Christmas Haven event.

• Inmates at the Nanaimo Correctional Centre are delivering toy boxes and collecting the toys at local shopping malls.

• Staff at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre are organizing a toiletries drive for a local women's shelter.

• Staff at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre are helping out four-legged family members through their second annual food drive for the SPCA.

Community Corrections projects

• Corrections offices in Williams Lake, Chilliwack and Penticton all participated in an Adopt a Family program, which helps to fill the Christmas wish lists of families.

• Gifts have been donated to the Burnaby Family Life program for expectant mothers, single mothers and their kids.

• The Smithers office was involved in a Shelter Box program that provides international emergency relief to people affected by disasters.

• Gift baskets were assembled for the Aboriginal Mother's Society in Vancouver - gloves, toiletries and other essentials - for women who rarely receive gifts at Christmas.

• Food bank challenges were held among offices. Along with Christmas bureau and hamper donations, the Greater Victoria and Fraser/Metro regional offices raised a combined total of approximately 2,270 kilograms (about 5,000 pounds) of food.

• Bottle drives and silent auctions raised money for Christmas Cheer Funds. Kamloops Community Corrections staff raised over $500.

• 50/50 draws raised money for local families in need over the holidays. The Prince Rupert office raised over $2,000 for one family.

• The South Surrey Office organized a Travelling Tea program, which raised $319 for the Union Gospel Mission, by delivering tea and snacks to staff.

Learn more:

http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/corrections/index.htm

Audio clip of Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond: www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/minister_bond_corrections_christmas.mp3

Contact:

Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961