A clothing drive for Sheridan Correctional Center organized by the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences, Criminal Justice Association, Alpha Phi Sigma, and Breaking Barriers will be held from November 1-30.
Donations for the Clothing Closet Drive can be made in Schroeder Hall, the ISU Police Department, and the Campus Religious Center. Donations can also be picked up from individual offices upon request.
Sheridan Correctional Center is an adult male, medium security, 100 percent drug treatment facility that focuses on maintaining a therapeutic community. Offenders at Sheridan have four years or less remaining on their sentences before returning to the community. A small donation of clothing can help jump start people to becoming productive members of society and achieve self-sufficiency.
“This is a great civic engagement project to help normalize prison reform programming efforts,” said Tamekia Bailey. “I am really proud of these students and their efforts for thinking about how to help others transition back into society.”
“Once a person is released from prison, they are given the clothes they came in with. The majority of the time those clothes no longer fit, so they are then given a sweatsuit to wear home,” said Helena Gill, an organizer for the drive. “Our clothing drive will help men feel better about themselves once they leave the facility. Leaving prison and rejoining society is hard enough, so these clothes will bring about a ‘new attitude’ or ‘fresh start’ for men.”
Men’s clothing of many types will be accepted, such as pants, shirts, jackets, coats, scarves, gloves, work boots, etc. Donations must be new or gently used and must be free of stains or holes.
For more information or to have a donation picked up, please contact Helena Gill at hgill@ilstu.edu.
