Philanthropy and Youth members sent off winter gear to the Cass County Jail and Women Halfway House on January 27.

Sheriff Jesse Jahner from Cass County Jail was there to receive 60 percent of the gear. The other 40 percent for the women’s shelter should be sent out on Monday. 

The philanthropy all started with Adeline Raum, a junior at South who had the idea to help released inmates by making warm winter wear.

“The inspiration for this project came after this summer when my group of friends made masks for everyone in the South district. And we had a really fun time doing that,” Raum said. “We see kids wearing our masks around the school and we were informed by the elementary school that they were going through them really fast and families are thankful about it. We just wanted to do something bigger with a bigger impact.

“So why not winter gear for released inmates? Released inmates, at least, are a group that is kind of forgotten about in our community, especially by families that don’t have anyone that is impacted by crime. If you don’t know anyone that has been in prison, it doesn’t come up on your plate at all.”

After a few weeks, Raum called the head of Social Services Projects and found that around 20 inmates are released per day.

“When they come in during the summer or winter and then picked up, they really don’t have the gear necessary to face our North Dakota in the winters,” Raum said.

She also found that most of the donations the jail receives go to the sheriffs, volunteers, and inmates while they are in prison, not when they’re released.

The final idea took shape when Gabrielle McGarvey, a South junior, suggested helping women who are inmates as well. However, they found out that the women’s prison was located in New Jersey.

They consulted with Vanessa Boehm, a counselor at South, about their problem. 

Mrs. Boehm suggested that they donate their clothing to the Women’s Halfway House through Centre Inc, a nonprofit that helps individuals re-enter society.

In accordance with this Year’s PaY Inspire, Lead, and Share Project, Raum presented her idea and the vote was unanimous to continue with this project. This year’s focus was on human needs.

The plan was then carried out. “We meet two times as a PaY group to do this on a Wednesday after school and a Sunday after lunch. We had about 60 yards of fleece fabric of different colors, which was about five garbage bags. And so we had people cutting, Lupé and I was sewing. It was busy,” said Raum. 

When they were done over Christmas break, they decided upon giving 60% of winter wear to Cass County Jail and another 40% to the Women Halfway House. “The reason we’re giving less to the halfway home is that they can use them for a longer period of time while they’re there as they’re not integrating to normal life as quickly,” said Raum. “We hope to give people hope that they have a place in our community, that they have a place and that they belong there. We haven’t known the impacts yet, but we believe that hopefully, it’ll change the pattern of repeat felonies.”