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LIMA — Inmates at Lima’s Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution are working to give something back, even while behind bars.
Inmates have been involved in such ventures as making recycling confiscated bicycles for community members and making Easter baskets for children spending the holiday in St. Rita’s Medical Center. Another way they are reaching out is by making sleeping bags and mats in the facility’s garment shop.
“Ohio Penal Industries runs a shop out at the Allen Oakwood Institution and they make all of the inmate clothing, the bedding and pillows for all the [Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction] inmates,” Allen Oakwood public information officer Cori Smith said. “Several of the inmates came up with the idea of using the scraps to make sleeping bags for the homeless.”
The facility then reached out to multiple organizations about distributing the sleeping bags. After making donations Friday at the Salvation Army and the Lima Rescue Mission, the facility donated a dozen sleeping bags and mats, along with 10 dozen pairs of gloves and mittens to the Lima Police Department on Monday.
“This is the first time they’ve done this with us,” LPD Lt. Andy Green said. “With the sleeping bags and mats, we’re looking at how to get those out.”
According to Green, the most likely scenario for distributing the bags will be via officers on patrol.
“The most likely scenario is they will go into the trunks of our patrol cruisers, and when officers see someone in need of an item like that, they will hand that out to them,” he said. “The same thing will happen to the gloves, but those will wait until wintertime.”
Smith said these outreach programs mean a great deal to those inmates who participate.
“It gives them something to do,” she said. “They very much want to contribute to the community.”
Smith encourages any service organizations looking to receive a donation of sleeping bags to contact her at [email protected].
