Donations allowed the ministry to purchase a new bus in 2008.

         “He was trying to hide the chains so that I wouldn’t see, but I still have a memory of him,” says Emily, now 12.  “He was walking out of a courtroom with a couple of guards and I saw him anyway.” 

          Thanks to a prison shuttle ministry, Emily has been able to stay in contact with her big brother, who was convicted of murder and other crimes. She and her nephew use the services of “Use What You’ve Got Prison Ministry: Keeping Families Connected.”

         The nonprofit has allowed Emily and other families to visit with their dads, uncles, moms, husbands and other relatives.  Another traveler, Venecia Wilson, 17, says it would be “almost impossible” to visit without the program. Most Indiana prisons are not on bus routes so impossible to reach without a private vehicle.

          The “Use What You Got” program began with the work of one woman: Cecilia Whitfield. Her son, James, had recently graduated from high school when he was arrested for armed  robbery and sentenced to a three-year prison term. After his release, he got in trouble with the law again and was sentenced to 20 years.

         Today, James is out on a prison work-release program and determined to stay away from drugs and other illegal activities. While he was incarcerated, he earned his associate’s and bachelor’s degrees from Ball State University. (Emily’s brother has completed a degree, too.)

          James plans to pursue a career in criminology, reaching out to help those involved with the criminal justice system.

         Whitfield was dedicated to visiting her son. During those trips in the family vehicle, many of her friends who also had family members in prison requested to ride along. 

         So in 1988, Whitfield began a transportation program. All she had was a car and people longing to reconnect with incarcerated family members. By 1990, the program had become an official nonprofit organization, but still was without a name, and little money.  While Whitfield was sharing her troubles with her mother, the older woman told her daughter to just: “Use what you got.”

        That is what Whitfield did.  She used her own car and a van, which she and her husband had purchased.

        “Use What You Got” (UWYG) became Whitfield’s slogan and the name of the nonprofit. To date, she figures she’s driven more than 500,000 miles on prison trips in Indiana. Each month, she travels 1,300-1,700 miles. She and her husband have bought several other vehicles since, including a bus, minivan and 15-passenger vans.

         Thanks to a $25,000 grant from Eastern Star Church, UWYG’s purchased another 15-passenger van, but it now has 140,000 miles on it. Whitfield wants to raise money to buy a vehicle that can hold even more people. She’d like to expand the program to adjacent states and travel more frequently.

        When a child is able to visit his or her incarcerated parents, the effects are positive, according to a study by Dr. Denise Johnston, founder of The Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents.  Her research found that children with an imprisoned parent felt abandoned, sad and angry. However, the opportunity to visit with that parent made the child feel better.

        For example, the visits allowed children to vent their feelings, discuss fears about separation and loss, and obtain a more realistic understanding of the parent’s circumstances in prison. Some children worry that they did something bad or caused  their parents to do something bad, and that’s why they are in prison. Through visits, the mother or father can reassure the child that they are innocent and not responsible.

        Some people are skeptical about allowing prisoners to visit with loved ones. After all, inmates have committed crimes and are being punished.  But family members haven’t committed a crime and have suffered – often financially and emotionally -- watching a loved one go to prison. If they never get to visit, they are more likely to do poorly in school or get in trouble themselves, according to the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.

        Staying in touch is also important because when most parents leave prison –and most do at some point -- they will be united with their children and be expected to provide emotional and financial support, according to a 2003 Urban Institute study. Two percent of all children – 7 percent of  black children – have a parent in prison; that’s more than 1.5 million kids, according to the Urban Institute.

        Men and women with strong family ties during their imprisonment are less likely to re-enter prison later, according to studies by various researchers, including Creasie Finney Hairston, dean of social work at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

        The imprisonment of a loved one changes how family members interact with friends and classmates.  Many of the nine kids interviewed don’t talk much about their personal lives with their friends.

         Venecia, who visits her stepdad at prison, says, “My friends don’t know about my personal life very much.  I don’t know why, I guess at school I’m different than what I am at home.” 

         Talking, praying and sharing with others who know what it’s like to have a loved one in prison is an essential part of the bus travel, too, Whitfield says.

         While traveling, she and other women on board share stories about their own hurts and joys. They realize that they all shared similar experiences and weren’t alone, gaining confidence and self-esteem. Soothing Christian music is played during trips to make them more relaxing.

         “The shuttle service became my support system,” Whitfield explains. “And I began to see that there were other people that were hurting just like me.”

          In order to help even more, Whitfield holds Bible studies, weekend retreats and activities for families of the imprisoned. She helps them learn to make wise decisions, learn to lead a prosperous life, and remember to think before they act. 

          “We have a girlfriend thing every Friday night, and we just encourage each other.  We have a Bible study,” she says.

           Not only do these visits help the hurting family members on the outside, they do a lot to boost the morale of the prisoners.

           James was one of them. During those times in prison, he received visits from his father, mother, grandmother and a friend. The visits motivated him to improve his life.

          “They gave me encouragement.  They were going to be there for me (regardless) of my past mistakes,” James says. “And I believe those who have made a mistake in their past lives need someone to encourage them … to let them know they’re still loved.”           

          Visits are a huge part of the rehabilitation process for an inmate, James adds, and he encourages family members to visit relatives in prison.

          Whitfield believes that an essential part of her ministry involves forgiveness and unconditional love, which help families heal.

          Since 1990, UWYG the program has grown to include visits to nine Indiana prisons and correctional facilities, and service to more than 500 adults and 250 children.      

          The van ride costs $30 to those who can afford it.

          When Venecia’s family learned about UWYG, they signed up immediately.

Since then, Venecia has visited her stepfather several times and enjoys the relationship she is building with him.

          "We talk about what’s going on in our life, like meeting new friends and going to new schools,” says Xybrina, Venecia’s 10-year-old sister.

           Charles Cameron, 15, rides the bus to visit his father.

          “I catch him up on things and he informs me about things. We just kind of spend some quality time together,” Charles says. After we visit I get my hug and I might say something encouraging.”

           But it can be awkward; visits are so different than living together as a family.

           "I feel that he doesn’t know a lot about me, so I would say (I want him to know) just more about me…and my environment," Venecia says.

           One of the problems families like hers encounter is dealing with prison visitation rules. "Unfortunately the rules are you can only visit this person once a week at the max, and I just feel that you shouldn’t limit people," she says, disappointment obvious on her face.

           Emily says: “They won’t even let you make him a card.  If you make anything, you have to send it to him by mail.”

           These visits have allowed Venecia to see her stepfather’s strength and perseverance. 

           “It’s horrible in prison.  It’s not a place that you want to be.  And then being secluded from, not being able to see your family from day to day, it probably takes a toll on you,” she says.

           Whitfield is encouraged by the children she meets and is hopeful that staying in touch with loved ones helps them stay on track.

            The kids visiting relatives via UWYG are indeed ambitious – several are honor students; some even wish to be doctors or work for the FBI.  “I feel like it’s been worth it because I’ve seen persons’ lives change,” says Whitfield, quoting the Golden Rule.

             “It’s very hard for persons to heal themselves,” she emphasizes. “It takes everybody.

             “They say it takes a village to raise one child.  It takes everybody to help people to get healed. You made all these mistakes because you didn’t want to think right and you did all these things, but you need somebody to forgive you. It takes everybody’s support to bring healing.”

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Mallory Jones, 16; Johanna Richardson, 14; and Afton Waddell, 14.

   To contact UWYG

•           Web site: http://www.usewhatyouvegotministry.org
•            E-mail: UWYGM@sbcglobal.net
•            Phone: (317) 924-4124

     If you would like to help UWYG, here are some of their needs:

·        A grant writer who could help raise money for all sorts of needs from gas to personnel --  the nonprofit currently has no paid staff members

·        Large vans or buses

·        People with Commercial Driver’s Licenses who can transport families to prisons around the state. With more drivers and more vehicles, trips could be made more frequently to prisons, and additional correctional facilities could be added to the schedule

·        Volunteers to help organize and run structured support groups to help family members during the inmate's absence as well as upon his or her return home.

·        Money to help pay for gas or other expenses

 Suggestions compiled by Johanna Richardson, 14

Copyright 2007 Y-Press