Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Announcements
2010 Governor's Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Award
Regional Criminal Justice Ministry of South Texas, Community Service
With the conception and completion of the Family Visitation Center for the Garza Transfer Facility complex and the McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas, in 1997, the Regional Criminal Justice Ministry of South Texas has made a tremendous impact on the lives of the families of offenders, staff, and the neighboring community.
This organization has provided hundreds of volunteers and volunteer hours to the construction, operation, and continued maintenance of the center. Since it opened 12 years ago, they have supplied the center with faithful volunteers every weekend, and have provided food items for the offender families as they wait to visit their loved ones. They have also provided paint for the inside and outside of the center, replacement equipment such as coffee pots and an antenna for the television, and clothes for family members that are not properly dressed to enter the facility.
In addition, the ministry has provided funds for program curriculum for the offenders, and has helped recruit and train approved volunteers to become certified volunteer chaplain's assistants. For their dedication and commitment to others, the Regional Criminal Justice Ministry of South Texas has been selected to receive the Community Service volunteer award.