By C1 Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Forty-two employees of the Illinois Department of Corrections donated their lunch hour one Wednesday to spend time with kids from Harvard Park Elementary.
The State-Journal Register reports that this is the ninth year the DOC has partnered with Harvard Park for a program called ‘Angel Tree.’ The event aims to help needy children by giving them one-on-one time and attention.
The DOC members served pizza and drinks before handing gifts to the students they were paired up with. Gifts were based on wish lists they’d asked the students to write down. In return, students created ornaments for the corrections employees.
“A lot of these kids live with single moms and don’t have that male role model,” said Kara Clark, special education teacher. “So we try to partner the boys with a male employee so they can have that interaction.”
A former computer analyst with the DOC who now works for the Ill. Department of Central Management Services said he’s volunteered for the last five years.
“You get the benefits of taking part in a program like the Angel Tree – where you give a gift – but you also get that additional one-on-one time,” said Brian Walton. “It’s a great time every year.”