In celebration of Father’s Day, a local nonprofit organization will reunite more than 300 children with their incarcerated fathers at the California Men’s Colony on Saturday, June 1.
Now in its eighth year here in San Luis Obispo, Get on the Bus offers children the priceless chance for a father’s hug, a family photo, and a private conversation. The grassroots program continues to grow and thrive due to the generosity of local community members.
“No matter what a parent has done – they are still the most important person to their child,” says Susan Olson, Central Coast coordinator of Get on the Bus. “These children want and need the chance to see their dad, and the dads need a chance to see their kids too. Without family visits, inmates are six times more likely to reoffend. So Get on the Bus helps give parents a reason to stay out of prison.”
This event would not be possible without the assistance of the community. More than 30 local schools, churches and organizations have helped by sponsoring Get on the Bus. Hundreds of volunteers will serve on June 1, at the prison or at one of the four party locations in San Luis Obispo. With the ongoing support of the San Luis Obispo community, Get on the Bus is also pleased to announce it will send two buses of children to CMC for a second visit during the holidays.
Along with the priceless opportunity to reconnect with their fathers, the children and their caregivers will receive free transportation provided by Get on the Bus as well as all three meals for the day, a photo of the child with his or her father, and a “Stay Connected Bag.” Trained volunteers accompany the children to the prison and to a party after the visit so that participants can feel welcomed and feel the support from our local community.
On the way home, each child is given a teddy bear and a love letter from their parent, along with the opportunity for post-event counseling. What started in 2006 with only 17 children on one bus has transformed into a statewide effort to transport more than 300 children from homes as far away as Sacramento and San Diego on nine chartered buses to the California Men’s Colony.
For more information, visit the website here.