Rehabilitation programs are generally offered to offenders who are incarcerated in either state prison or county jail, as well as those who are supervised in the community by state parole agents or county probation officers.
The person serving time has access to numerous programs and courses, such as Livelihood Programs, Health Services, Religious Activities, Recreational and Sports Activities, and vocational education and training that would help them be reintegrated into society and actively participate in positive socio-economic engagements.
Inmates can also often have access to another form of education: life skill training, in which they put inmates to work in modern programs that are aligned closely with outside.
Fresh vegetables are a central part of a healthy diet. Vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients that promote better health, including antioxidants and vitamins. Adding fresh vegetables to your daily meals is the best way to boost your health, and your loved ones’ health too.
And growing Vegetable is one of the life skill programs some of the inmates’ courses at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center in St. Louis County, Missouri. For years, the correctional center has always been participating in an impressive gardening program and has been giving away tons of fresh, nutritious produce to underprivileged neighborhoods.
They had been growing and donating produce to local food banks, community pantries, and social service organizations.
On its Facebook page, the correctional facility updates fans on its progress and frequently posts pictures of abundant harvests in July.
In a post, the Missouri Eastern Correctional Center wrote: “Very proud of the hard work Case Manager Parr and the Restorative Justice Offenders have achieved this year gardening, Just look at all these fresh vegetables! Over 200lbs of produce donated just this week to Feed My People Food Bank.”
In August, they also posted saying, “We are so excited to share that the Restorative Justice Organization of Missouri Eastern Correctional Center just keeps pumping that fresh produce out the door to serve our community,
RJ donated 1,939 pounds of produce last week and 2,140 pounds this week. Year to date total = 16,319 pounds!!!! WOW! They aren’t done yet, much more produce still to come. Stay tuned for more updates.”
This program, known as Restorative Justice Gardens, has resulted in an astounding amount of food being grown and distributed to some of the state’s most disadvantaged residents. In September, it was reported that they had donated 18,141 pounds; however, they are only one of the groups participating.
The Garden page on the website for the Missouri Department of State Correction stated that “The Department of Corrections cultivates Restorative Justice Gardens in institutions throughout the state,
Staff members work with offenders to grow produce for low-resource Missourians in need of fresh food, yielding as much as 100 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables for donation to Missouri food banks, shelters, senior centers, schools and other organizations.”
Inmates not only gain valuable life skills and increase their own self-sufficiency through these programs, but they also get to work hard, enjoy nature, and volunteer so that once they regain their freedom, they can live productive and connected lives.
Sources: Westernjournal, Liftable, Ksisradio