A neat holiday story!
PRISONERS SEND GIFT TO HFP!
A check arrived at the HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS office in Grand Haven the other day. This was no ordinary check from a regular contributor. It came from the Michigan Department of Corrections, and was signed by Acting Assistant Warden Ronald Embry at Ionia Maximum Correctional Facility. The check, in the amount of $159.00, represented a gift from prisoners in one of the prison units.
HFP President Doug Tjapkes explains that the contribution dates back to last July, when he and HFP board chairman Dr. Dan Rooks drove to Ionia on a Saturday afternoon, at the request of inmates, to tell the story of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. Meeting with more than 50 prisoners in a small auditorium at the facility, Tjapkes and Rooks explained the background, the purpose and the mission statement of their prisoner advocacy program. After that, they remained with the group to answer questions.
“It was a great meeting,” Tjapkes said. “The questions were thoughtful and sensible, the statements were often profound! Listening from the outside, one would have thought we were involved in a discourse with a group of college students.”
The prisoners thanked the men profusely for giving of their personal time on a Saturday afternoon to work with and assist prisoners.
Then, unbeknownst to HFP, the prisoners decided that they should express their thanks in a tangible way, so they took a collection! Prison officials and HFP personnel alike point out that inmates are incredibly poor, with little opportunity to make more than tiny hourly wages.
“It’s a modern-day version of the Bible story of the ‘widow’s mite,’” said Tjapkes. “$159.00 is a huge sacrifice from indigent prisoners! Some gave a dollar, some two bucks…but they wanted to give, so that other prisoners could be helped. We couldn’t be more honored!”
Said HFP’s college intern, Cindy Glomb: “In this holiday season, I think this gift speaks volumes!”
A check arrived at the HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS office in Grand Haven the other day. This was no ordinary check from a regular contributor. It came from the Michigan Department of Corrections, and was signed by Acting Assistant Warden Ronald Embry at Ionia Maximum Correctional Facility. The check, in the amount of $159.00, represented a gift from prisoners in one of the prison units.
HFP President Doug Tjapkes explains that the contribution dates back to last July, when he and HFP board chairman Dr. Dan Rooks drove to Ionia on a Saturday afternoon, at the request of inmates, to tell the story of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. Meeting with more than 50 prisoners in a small auditorium at the facility, Tjapkes and Rooks explained the background, the purpose and the mission statement of their prisoner advocacy program. After that, they remained with the group to answer questions.
“It was a great meeting,” Tjapkes said. “The questions were thoughtful and sensible, the statements were often profound! Listening from the outside, one would have thought we were involved in a discourse with a group of college students.”
The prisoners thanked the men profusely for giving of their personal time on a Saturday afternoon to work with and assist prisoners.
Then, unbeknownst to HFP, the prisoners decided that they should express their thanks in a tangible way, so they took a collection! Prison officials and HFP personnel alike point out that inmates are incredibly poor, with little opportunity to make more than tiny hourly wages.
“It’s a modern-day version of the Bible story of the ‘widow’s mite,’” said Tjapkes. “$159.00 is a huge sacrifice from indigent prisoners! Some gave a dollar, some two bucks…but they wanted to give, so that other prisoners could be helped. We couldn’t be more honored!”
Said HFP’s college intern, Cindy Glomb: “In this holiday season, I think this gift speaks volumes!”
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