BOONE COUNTY — Two people currently in the Boone County Jail were able to spend time with their children and watch them open presents this year.
Partnering with the Meijer store in Whitestown, the Boone County Sheriff's Office was able to purchase gifts for the children.
Corrections Sergeant Sam Thompson had a vision for the Hope for the Holidays program. Thompson wanted to help children and families whose mother or father is incarcerated in jail.
“I am extremely grateful for how my life has been and everything I have been able to accomplish with the absence of a father figure," Thompson said. "Not every child gets that opportunity. Some children are left with pieces left behind by their parents due to the decisions and mistakes they’ve made.”
In order to be considered for the program, the inmates needed to meet the following criteria:
- Considered a model inmate
- No discipline in the last six months
- Have children
- Not involved in a Department of Child Services case, past or present
- Has been incarcerated for longer than six months
- No violent charges, past or present
- No sex offender charges, past or present
- No invasion of privacy charges, past or present
"Inmates selected for this program should be someone who truly wants to better themselves and have a positive outlook on their future," a press release from the sheriff's office read.
Sheriff Michael Nielsen said he "could not be prouder" of the project and the "thinking from the heart" attitude.
