Mentor program for inmates

A mentor program at a prison in Oklahoma is making a difference in the lives of inmates by talking, teaching encouraging and training.

Thursday, April 3rd 2008, 4:12 pm

By: News 9


A mentor program at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in McLoud is making a difference in the lives of many of the inmates. Every Monday night, a group of mentors travel to the prison to support, encourage and teach inmates. And there's a waiting list of inmates who desperately want to get into G.I.F.T.S., or Giving Incarcerated Females Trust and Support.

There is something I touched on in the broadcast that I want to write more about now. It's something that many of the inmates who I talked to wanted people "on the outside" to know. And, one of the mentors also relayed this message to me:

"Be sure and tell everybody that we need the outside world to know how we should be, because many times it was in our childhood that we went astray. And we need someone to look up to."

These women are worried about their release. They desperately want to be free, and they want to be successful citizens, and many don't know how. And that is another reason why the mentor program is making a difference in these women's lives. Although some may never leave, many of these women will. And they don't want to go back. They want to succeed, and they need your help.

The founder of G.I.F.T.S. told me that if this broadcast or blog were to encourage anyone to help, or start a mentor program in another jail, then her prayers have been answered.

There are wonderful things happening in the tiny groups of 3 to 7 people.

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