GREENFIELD — A program to support people leaving the Franklin County Jail is seeking donations from the community for its second year, and is aiming to expand its reach beyond last year’s successful donation drive. The donation drive ends March 31.
“Love in a Backpack,” which provides backpacks full of essential supplies for people as they leave jail, has been organized for years by St. John’s Church of Ashfield. Last year, the church approached Community Action Pioneer Valley to help collect donations and organize the backpacks, which is continuing this year.
The backpacks include soap, hairbrushes, first aid supplies, non-perishable foods, notebooks, stamped envelopes and more. They’re designed to help people who may have been brought into jail with nothing more than the clothes on their bodies, said Mary McClintock, the community collaboration coordinator of Community Action Pioneer Valley.
“This is about both physical and moral support,” McClintock said. “It’s sort of a vote of confidence — ‘Welcome back to the community. We want you to be successful and we care about you.'”
Last year, the program collected enough donations to fill about 20 backpacks. This year it is aiming for 50, McClintock said.
“These donations are a way citizens can directly impact life-changing work,” said Franklin County Sheriff Christopher Donelan. “This transition (of leaving jail) can be very difficult, and knowing they have support from the community gives these women and men hope that a new life is possible.”
Donations can be left at these sites in Greenfield: Foster’s Supermarket, 70 Allen St.; Community Health Center, 102 Main St.; Franklin County Sherrif’s Office, 160 Elm St.; Greenfield District Court, 43 Hope St.
The list of requested items are: brush and comb (or hair pick), shampoo and conditioner (full size), soap bar and hand sanitizer, lotion and sunscreen, wipes, tissue packs, lip balm, small flashlight, face masks, mouthwash (non-alcohol), deodorant, tampons and pads (regular and liners), washcloth and small towel, soft doll or stuffed animal (small), emergency space blanket, men’s toiletries, water bottle, nuts, seeds and trail mix, dried fruit, granola bars, candy, gum, lozenges (no chocolate, as it melts), cookie packets, cereal packets, crackers, small food cans with pop tops, jerky, blank journals, blank notecards, stamped envelopes andbooks for pleasure reading.
Toothpaste and toothbrushes are not necessary, as they have already been donated by local dentists.
Money donations are also helpful, as they can help to purchase items the organization is short on, McClintock said. Send money donations to St. John’s Episcopal Church, PO Box 253, Ashfield, MA, 01330. Write on the memo line “TJC Backpack Project.”
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.