Florida Prison Inmates Make 5,000 Toys for Deserving Kids

There will be more smiles around Florida’s Christmas trees this holiday season thanks to Florida prison inmates who made and refurbished more than 5,000 toys and bicycles for deserving children.

This year, inmates from 15 DC facilities toiled in their workshops hand carving, sanding, sewing and painting wooden rocking horses, rocking chairs, dolls, teddy bears, doll cradles, army tanks, puzzles, tick-tack-toe games, hair clips, yo-yos, airplanes, trains, race cars, bracelets and much more. In addition to handmade toys, the inmates also refurbished donated bicycles.

Participating facilities were: Apalachee, Avon Park, Baker, Cross City, Desoto Gulf, Hardee, Hillsborough, Holmes, Madison, Marion, New River, Polk, Walton and Washington correctional institutions.

DC staff coordinated the toy distribution process with groups such as the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Children and Family Services, Hope Children’s Home in Tampa, The Salvation Army, The Red Cross, The Children’s Home Society, Refuge House, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, schools and various charities.

This article originally published on December 22, 2007.