15th Annual 'Get On The Bus' Event: Reuniting Children With Their Mothers and Fathers in Prison

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 24, 2015) - Center for Restorative Justice Works and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) are again bringing hundreds of children to visit their mothers in prison for Mother's Day during the 15th Annual Get On The Bus event.

Twenty-four buses filled with hundreds of children and their caregivers will be traveling from throughout the state on Saturday, May 2nd, Friday, May 8th and Saturday, July 18th to visit three women's institutions; California Institution for Women (May 2nd), Central California Women Facility (May 7th), Folsom Women Facility (July 18th).

Last year, Get On The Bus, united over 1,300 children with their mother or father at 10 prisons.

Approximately 200,000 children in California have an incarcerated parent and live with relatives or in foster care, according to the CDCR.

Executive Director Amalia Molina said, "Distance is the number one reason these children have been unable to see their parents. These kids need to know they have not been abandoned."

For many of these children, this is the only time during the year that they will see their mother.

Get On The Bus provides free transportation for children and their caregivers, travel bags for the children, comfort care bags for the caregivers, a photograph of each child with his or her mother, and meals for the day. Children will also be wearing Get On The Bus t-shirts with the names of donors and supporters. On the bus trip home following the visit with the mothers, each child will receive a teddy bear with a letter from his or her mother.

Get On The Bus was founded 15 years ago by Sr. Suzanne Jabro, a Sister of Saint Joseph of Carondolet. The program is funded by donations from churches, schools, family foundations, grants and other organizations.

Research indicates that staying connected with their children is the greatest indicator for a successful re-entry upon release for the incarcerated.

The media is invited to ride local buses and/or attend the prison events in Chino, Corona, Chowchilla and Folsom. Gate clearance is required.