Dallas District Office Family Holiday

DALLAS, Texas – Family members and youths come into the parole office every day. They all have expectations to meet to help them become successful. Every family is different and they all have different personal needs. There are some families and youths that struggle from day to day to have basic personal needs such as food and clothing. The parole officers are charged with monitoring youths and providing guidance so that youths are successful. Sometimes this is a difficult task for youth because they are struggling with basic needs.

Because of this struggle, volunteers have created a food and clothing pantry at the Dallas District Office that provides help for these youths and families. During the holidays 12 families needed assistance with food during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Volunteers from Transforming Lives Ministry, Abundance Spiritual Life Ministry, and Free On the Inside Ministries provided 17 turkeys and a large amount of food including eggs, fresh potatoes, and butter to families so that they could make dinner during the holidays. Some families received two turkeys as well as two baskets. The families were extremely grateful to receive the donations. The smiles on the faces of the families were enough for volunteers to know that more needed to be done.

Volunteer Lindsey Cowell wanted to replenish food pantry and also give food to families during the Holidays. She recruited people from her job to donate canned and boxed foods. The foods that were donated were given to several families to assist not only with the holidays but after the holidays were over. Lindsey helped refill the pantry so that families can continue to have food after the holidays are over. None this would have been possible without the kind hearts of volunteers.

Photo: Donated food boxes with all the fixing to make Christmas dinner, which included turkeys.

McFadden Sends Youth Home with Backpack of 'Hope'

By Y. Denise Caldwell Community Resource Coordinator, Northern District Parole Office FLOWER MOUND, Texas - Larry Bossaler, McFadden volunteer McFadden Ranch Volunteer Larry Bossaler enjoys his assignment: Making sure that every youth who leaves the McFadden halfway house knows that people are praying for him and wishing him the best in his future. He is the man who brings them their “Good-Bye” backpack. When he delivers the backpacks, he makes sure to do three things – visit with the youth, show the contents of the backpack (because staff put them in the lockers until the youth leaves), and lastly close the visit with a heartfelt prayer. The youth enjoy and appreciate the backpack, the visit and the prayer. Many are a little anxious and scared to leave but knowing that the McFadden volunteers care enough to send them off in this special way, helps them feel a bit less worried. “I always bring an extra backpack,” Larry said. “In case a youth i

McFadden Ranch High School Graduates Honored

DENTON, Texas -- The Kiwanis Club of Denton recognized nine youth from McFadden Ranch who earned their high school diploma or equivalency by inviting them to their April 17 noon meeting and luncheon where they were awarded $50 each for their trust fund. Spearheaded by JCO IV Gregory Winn, a longstanding member of the Kiwanis Club of Denton, the event was truly memorable for the youth who attended. They heard a motivational and moving presentation by Texas Rep. Pat Fallon, who completed the Greatest Endurance Challenge – the World Marathon Challenge – tackling seven marathons in seven days on seven continents. He took the challenge after being inspired by Jonny Wade, a 7-year-old boy who battled pediatric cancer and had only one wish – ‘that no other kid ever gets cancer.’ Wade’s death led to the creation of Pediatric Cancer Foundation for which Fallon raised over $250,000 so far. Fallon, who represents a portion of Denton County, said the takeaway from his experience is that we

Teamwork Leads to Arrest Without Incident

GAINESVILLE, Texas – Late at night on July 21, a young man escaped from the Gainesville State School, and an exceptional team effort ensured that he was found the very next day. Employees from TJJD State Programs, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, local law enforcement, and TJJD Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigators from Gainesville, Brownwood, Mart, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin all answered the call that night. Sgt. Gabriel Medellin was contacted at approximately 2:00 a.m., on July 22. He left San Antonio for Gainesville at approximately 6:00 a.m. to meet with other investigators and begin searching for the youth. At approximately 12:25 p.m., Sgt. Medellin observed a male walking down a highway in Gainesville who matched the description of the youth. Sgt. Medellin made contact, confirmed his identity, and made the arrest without incident. He was assisted by OIG Sergeants Walker Willey (Ron Jackson) and Tom Hamilton (Mart). OIG Chief Forrest Mitchell s

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