This morning, we had our annual all school Mass of the Toys. Each year, our students bring gifts to this Mass, wrapped and labeled either boy or girl and with an age range. The gifts are gathered and taken to Indiana State Prison.
When a prisoner has his children come to visit for the holidays, the officers make note of the number, sex, and age of each child and then an inmate goes to the gifts in storage, pulls the appropriate gifts, and gives them to the inmate being visited. When his child or children enter the visiting room, the inmate can give the gift.
Because of the poverty of many families with a husband incarcerated, this gift is often the only gift that a child will receive for Christmas. I worked at the prison for three years and can tell you the incredible difference the gifts make in the lives of the children as well as the parents.
Thank you, students, for your generous donations today!