Families Feel the Warmth at McLennan's Winter Wonderland

By Vanessa Bell

VISTA Intern – TJJD

MART, Texas – Dozens of family members recently reunited with their youth at the McLennan County State Juvenile Correctional Facility for the first “Family Day” of 2019.

The event’s theme was “Winter Wonderland,” so chili was served, games were snowman-themed, and the decorations were blue and white to give the event a wintery feeling.

A sister joyfully greets her brother while their grandfather looks on.

Despite the theme being a cold winter wonderland, the vibe throughout the gym was warm and welcoming. Family members laughed with their youth, while enjoying a warm bowl of chili and corn chips. Many got their pictures taken and played games as well.

Family Days are held quarterly at all TJJD secure facilities, creating a safe haven where families can just be silly and have fun together and enjoy being a family again, which is the main goal.

For some families at Mart, this was their first time coming to an event like this, whereas others have been coming to every Family Day since their youth has been with TJJD.  

“It’s nice! Since he’s been here, which is almost a year, I come to every one,” said Letreba, mother to a Mart youth. She recalled fondly previous family days, where nearly everyone attending was playing the games, which included ring toss, bowling and an inventive endeavor called “Toilet Paper 

Basketball” that involved throwing rolls of toilet paper into a toilet bowl replica.

Family Day, she says, is so much better than regular visitation days, because of the games and the opportunity to get family photographs taken.

One family explained that family days bring all their relatives together.

Mart youth help serve the food at Family Days.

“We all live in different directions. We can all just sit here together instead of splitting up our time with him,” says Riley, whose brother is at Mart.

The mom, sister, aunt and grandma of youth C.H came from two cities to visit with him in this easy-going and casual setting.

“During visitation, he can’t get up and go to the vending machines. Here, it’s better because he can go with us to get food. It’s just a lot better. He doesn’t have to be on the other side of the table. You can get up and move around here,” said Lindsey, a relative of C.H..   

The family event also is a time when youth can introduce their family to their caseworker, friends and staff at Mart.

“(Case Managers) are always talking on the phone with the parents, now they can talk face to face,” says Taresa White, a recreation supervisor who helps out at Family Days.

Mary Garrity snaps photos of several families at these events
Families say this is one of their favorite features of the
gathering, because they get a memento to keep.

“I think it’s very good because you get to spend time with your kid and maybe meet a friend or two, “said the grandfather of youth B.C.

Nearly 80 family members and 36 youth came to the Mart Family Day. Arranging and throwing such a big event requires a lot of planning and hard work, said Mary Garrity, family liaison for Mart, who is the main organizer.

Dozens of people from the facility help out, including youth, who help set up and clean up and serve the food. JCOs, caseworkers and recreation staff also pitch in, bringing youth to the event, assisting family members in navigating the security gates and helping with the food and games.

The local volunteer council, McLennan County Community Resource Council for Troubled Texas Youth, provides critical financial support, paying for all of the expenses for the event.

Like other family liaisons at TJJD facilities, Garrity says she tries to incorporate themes around days or events being celebrated, creating a happy, seasonal atmosphere.

“I used to do one in March, which is March Madness, so I did a basketball tournament. During the Olympics, I did Olympic events,” she said.

But she needs to be savvy about selecting dates, she said, because some could be misconstrued to have a gang-related meaning. Some Mart youth from Austin, for example, might see a May 12 event, which spelled out is 5-12, the Austin area code, as having significance in their former gang spheres.

This is not something Ms. Garrity or anyone at TJJD wants to encourage, “so we have to work around that,” she said.

Food is another item on the event planning list that involves careful preparation.

She takes religious food restrictions and health-related restrictions into account, to make sure that the food is all inclusive for the youth on campus.

Parents enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere and extra time
to visit with their youth.

“If you have Muslims, you have to make sure food is non-pork, if you have a diabetic on your campus you have to make sure you have alternatives,” Garrity says.

“Sometimes your food has to correspond with your theme,” Garrity says. “If it’s a basketball-themed event, then we’ll have nachos and hot dogs.”

Giving the day a theme and offering fun foods makes the day extra special for youth and their families, creating an atmosphere like a community center or family reunion, family members said.

“It’s important to the parents because they miss out on so much,” added Garrity. “They don’t get to do birthday parties and celebrate different things with their kid, so this gives them a time to be with their kid. Their kid can just be a kid again. Sometimes it’s the first time in years where their child has actually acted like a child.”