Volunteers Make Jail Visits Joyful for 170 Kids

Two five-year-old girls walked into a jail to visit their dads for the first time, strangers to each other and scared. When they came back out, they were holding hands.

That moment captures everything Lucinda Brown and Linda Singer are trying to do through Waiting Room Welcome, a program serving children who visit incarcerated parents at Franklin County facilities in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Since launching in May 2023, they've helped about 170 kids navigate these emotionally difficult visits.

The setup is simple but thoughtful. Brown and Singer prepare age-appropriate gift bags six times a year, timed with the bimonthly contact visits the jail allows. They sort through toys, books, and snacks, carefully matching each item to the child's age and needs.

Gift cards for groceries, gas, and meals go to the caregivers. Calming music plays as families arrive. Staff and inmates wear street clothes instead of uniforms, and visits happen in the jail's library rather than a visiting room with barriers.

The transformation is visible. Children who once arrived looking anxious now run toward the building with energy. Inside, they scramble to reception tables and greet each other with smiles.

"If we can make kids' visits with their parents less scary, it's all worth it," says Annie Diemand Bucci, president of the Foundation for Community Justice, which runs the program. She's a retired police officer with 30 years of experience and knows the stakes firsthand.

Sunny's Take

Research shows children with incarcerated parents face higher risks of future criminal justice involvement. But trauma doesn't have to be destiny. A teddy bear, a friendly face, and permission to be a kid during a hard moment can matter more than we realize.

One peer ambassador shared that they never visited their incarcerated father as a child because it felt too scary and hard. Hearing that story drives Brown and Singer forward.

Sheriff Lori Streeter sees the impact daily. "Having someone there to greet them with a smile, a snack, a book or a small gift can make a real difference," she says.

One mother whose eight-year-old had been visiting his dad told Brown how much the support meant to her child. Before the father's likely release, she wanted Brown to know: this program gave her son something precious during a confusing time.

Sometimes the best measure of a community is how it treats its most vulnerable members, especially children facing circumstances beyond their control.