Family Services
For the past several years, Cephas has been aware of the often extreme need of the families inmates leave behind. We have explored different ways of responding to this need and have promoted Angel Tree with this in mind. The hope was that in establishing relationships with localfamilies we could offer support to help keep families intact, helpwith their life issues, and perhaps stop the terrible cycle of crime that is often perpetuated in the children
Angel Tree is an exciting year-round outreach to the children of prisoners conducted by Prison Fellowship. As the nation’s only national effort to reach out to children of prisoners, Angel Tree knows that Christmas is an especially difficult time for the children. Through the program, volunteers from churches, businesses and local organizations across the nation match children’s gift wishes with donors who provide the gifts. By brightening Christmas for the child of a prisoner, the Program helps children find some healing from the pain of separation from their mom or dad. The Christmas program can also introduce children and caregivers to year round Angel Tree offerings including ongoing mentoring and summer camp.
There are many prisoner’s children in the Buffalo and Rochester areas who are in need of Angel Tree’s services. Again this year, Cephas in Buffalo will be working with a local church to provide for 45 of these children. Every year, the work I do for Angel Tree is the highlight of my Christmas preparations.
The need in our communities is great. If you are active in your church or another group that might be able to help, I encourage you to get involved. For more information or if you have any questions, please feel free to call me (Patti DeWitt) at 716-856-6131 or to consult the Prison Fellowship website at: www.pfm.org then select the Angel Tree tab. Truly, we can make a difference, one child at a time.
Hope Van Service
In addition to our participation with Angel Tree, we collaborate with Hope of Buffalo in providing prison family services. Hope Van Service, offers transportation to Attica, Wyoming and Wende Correctional Facilities to prisoner’s families.
The House serves local & out of town guests Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends by providing a transportation to Family Reunion and regular weekend visits
They pick up visitors from the train, bus, airport or their home and take them to the prisons for Family Reunion Visits returning them two days later to the train, bus, airport or their own homes.
Saturday and Sunday they run a larger passenger van from the House to the prisons and back again. All services are provided for a nominal fee.
Cephas provides for the scheduling of drivers. We would welcome your participation. We are ever in need of drivers (the trip to the prisons and back will take two to four hours of your time. Call Patti at 856-6131 to learn more and/or to get involved.
