December 16, 2016
A piano player sits In the distance at the end of the row of tables heaped with 1,200 toys. He is providing atmosphere for Christmas Angel, the annual OAR gift-wrapping event. More than 200 volunteers have signed up to wrap presents from 18-month-old Desmond Roberts (he's a ferocious wrapper) to regulars who have been participating for years. The gifts will be delivered by volunteers to almost 400 children of incarcerated individuals, each gift accompanied by a message for the child written by the incarcerated parent. OAR is a “community-based restorative justice organization, blending compassion and accountability to assist offenders in leading productive and responsible lives.” It was established in 1974 by a local group of women from Arlington who volunteered in jails and saw a need for ongoing support of prisoners and ex-offenders.
Stories this photo appears in:
Tables Overflow for Project Christmas Angel in Arlington
Gift-wrapping for children of incarcerated individuals.
Susan Olson, chair of the Offenders Aid and Restoration Board (OAR), says this year they put the wish list for the children of incarcerated individuals on Amazon.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID