TJJD News & Announcements

Coggin Church led Vacation Bible School for 50 youth at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex during the last week of July.  This is the 4th year for them to sponsor this particular event.  Eighteen volunteers attended to assist with all the activities. Many were members of Coggin, while some were volunteers from various other churches in the area. Lynn Humeniuk, wife of the former Ron Jackson Superintendent Dan Humeniuk, expressed her excitement. “Not many people volunteer to work with incarcerated youth.  This VBS was a tremendous blessing as it was clear the students were open to hear the gospel message.  They were engaged, inquisitive and it was inspiring to be able to spend time with them at the Ron Jackson facility!” The students arrived at 8 each morning for a time of worship and fun. Ricky Cavitt, Coggin Church’s youth pastor, introduced the volunteers and kicked off the day’s activities with a few games and a word of encouragement in the chapel...

GIDDINGS, Texas -- The term victim can suggest helplessness, but victims of crimes turned that into empowerment during a commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 7-13 at the Giddings State School. Members of the Victim Impact Panel, a group of volunteers from across Texas who use their st ories to help others understand the lasting impact victims sustain, visited the school and talked with the youth in custody. The volunteers held discussions and question-and-answer sessions with the young men in their dorms, raising awareness about how victims suffer, long after a crime has occurred. The event kicked off with a candle light vigil service that concluded with a balloon release. “Overall, Giddings State School has made a commitment to highlight the strength of the victim and provide support because the victim does matter,” said Jorge Gonzalez, facility superintendent.

GAINESVILLE, Texas – Staff and volunteers at Gainesville State School recently honored longtime volunteer Bill West on his 90th birthday. West has been enrolled as a volunteer at the Gainesville State School since February 2000, where he is a former employee, having worked as a grounds keeper and the warehouse manager. Since his retirement in 1995 he has helped with Catholic religious education of the youth.  He and his wife Mary organized monthly birthday parties on the dorms, as well as Christmas parties. He has participated and organized many Catholic chapel services, ACTS Ministry retreats, as well as mentored many youth while they were here. West has been very active in his church and in the area volunteer resource council, where he is a past president and vice president. In 2009, West was part of the Group of the Year awards winner for the work in the ACTs retreat. At the volunteer appreciation banquet in October 2015, West and his wife Mary received the Family Volunt...

BROWNWOOD, Texas -- The Metamorphosis Group, which works with youth who’re struggling with self-worth and related issues, is off to a successful start at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex. After winding up the first session with nine girls in December, volunteer group leaders Carl and Lorinda Bodiford are launching two new groups with 18 students this week. The group that finished in December followed a Christian curriculum that stresses everyone has a purpose in life and that the rough times the girls are going through are temporary. The six weeks course, based on the life cycle of a butterfly, uses scripture to emphasize that each person is created by God for a specific purpose. The last and most powerful lesson centered on forgiveness and the freedom that forgiveness brings. The class culminated with the release of balloons on which each student had the opportunity to write the names of people in their lives who needed forgiveness as well as act...

BROWNWOOD, Texas – The Brownwood Community Resource Council (CRC) raised $1,482 with a raffle it held last month on behalf of youth at the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex.   Youth in the woodshop class participated in the fund-raising raffle by creating a beautiful picnic table. Weakley Watson Sporting Goods also provided a raffle prize, a Yeti 75 Tundra cooler at a discount price. Each member of the CRC, a group of volunteers that supports activities and projects at Ron Jackson, supported the raffle by offering tickets to the community. Lynn Humeniuk, director of the Criminal Justice Program at Howard Payne University, won the raffle and is enjoying both the picnic table and the cooler. Some may remember Humeniuk’s husband, Dan Humeniuk, who was the superintendent at Ron Jackson from 1993 to 2006. Proceeds go into a fund that supports scholarships, incentives, 4-H, choir, drama and events such as graduation receptions at the Ron Jackson fac...

GIDDINGS, Texas – Youthful offenders honored their mentors at an appreciation dinner at the Giddings State School in late December. About 40 youth served the mentors a barbecue dinner, then dine with the 20 or so mentors who came to the evening program.  Several youth paid tribute to the volunteers. “I appreciate mentors for coming out because they don’t have to do it,” said one young man. “This is free time for them, time out of their days and away from their families.” Said another, “Because we’re separated from family, the people who come out and talk to us become family. You find out you can trust people and people do help you even though they are strangers.   “You get closer and start knowing them and you become family,” the youth said.  “This is what mentors are to me.  They’re someone you can trust, rely on, and always look to for help.” Giddings Superintendent Jorge Gonzalez, Giddings Chaplain Frederick Horton, and Suzanne Scharle ...

BROWNWOOD, Texas – The Foster Grandparent program has been in existence since 1965 and it is in every state in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It is a federal program with the state of Texas as the sponsor. Foster grandparents receive an hourly stipend that does not affect social security or other benefits, transportation cost assistance as well as sick, vacation and holidays paid. Seniors will work with children 15-40 hours per week with optional special hours provided. Full background checks are completed prior to acceptance in the program. “We are excited to bring this program into the classrooms,” said Principal Beverly Sumners of JJDRon Jackson. Sheryl Millwee, teacher, said, the youth are working with foster grandparent Barbara Hawkins and are "very appreciative of her help and are happy to see her. I have seen visible changes in their demeanor around her.” This program provides an opportunity for persons over 55 years of age who have limited ...

EDINBURG, Texas – Twenty-four youth volunteered to participate in a three-day Epiphany weekend retreat at Evins Regional Juvenile Center this summer. “This is a remarkable number of youth that decided to stay for the whole program”, said Evins Chaplain Luis Alvarado. Community Relations Coordinator Fidel Garcia added, “When you see this number of kids saying, ‘I like what I see and it keeps me focused and entertained while,’ that is a good thing.” Epiphany weekends are non-denominational retreats for the youth and are scheduled twice a year. The days are long, usually 12 hours of in-depth spiritual programing combined with music, singing, skits, meditation, scripture reading, board games, arts and crafts, and lots of different types of snacks and food throughout the retreat. Eighteen-year-old Andrez who participated for the first time, said, “I think it was wonderful. People showed me they cared about us. These people don’t even know us and they showed us love. When it was over, I ...

GIDDINGS, Texas – Staff and students welcomed youth ministry group, Mirror Image, to Giddings State School in July. Those in attendance were blessed to share in their worship and praise and to receive their message of encouragement. The One Step Away tour is a traveling choir organized by the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and includes youth in grades 9 through 12. They perform and travel through several states during the summer months spreading their message of faith, hope, and God’s love. This year’s tour brought them through Texas and included stops in San Antonio, Austin, and other TJJD facilities. Giddings State School youth sang along to "Man in the Mirror" and listened to the powerful message in the lyrics of every song the group performed. Mirror Image members shared with Giddings youth their own personal struggles through testimonials on cardboard signs that, when reversed, showed how God’s love helped them overcome. The One Step Away t...

EDINBURG, Texas – Since 1994, Emma Joe and Herbert Snyder have been traveling the state of Texas to juvenile and adult corrections facilities to tell their story. Their story is not one easily shared by others, but for them it has become a life journey. It’s a story of joy, sorrow, court battles, parole hearings, and their willingness to see justice and prevent such tragedies from happening to others. Throughout the years they have touched thousands of lives and made an impact on many juveniles, adult inmates, and staff alike. As part of National Crime Victims Week, they traveled a 572 mile round trip to the Evins Regional Juvenile Center (ERJC) to speak to the youth. Their true story recounts how February 7, 1992, was not a typical day for the Snyders. In their hearts they felt something was terribly wrong and how a phone call would in an instant forever change their lives. They recounted how their 30-year-old son Atch (Pronounced “H”) was last seen alive and how he was trying t...

HARLINGEN, Texas – When Tamayo House Community Services Coordinator and Human Services Specialist IV Ruben Trevino was unable to obtain a Global Youth Services Day mini-grant to feed the homeless in Harlingen, he didn’t take “no” for an answer. Ruben, who has been with TJJD for more than 20 years, approached the local Sam’s Club and was able to get $250 worth of food donated to the Local Loaves and Fishes. On April 7, Ruben and Tamayo House youth, along with six volunteers, were able to prepare, cook, and feed 365 needy people with a sandwich lunch plate and spaghetti dinner. The crew performed more than 300 hours of community service, an opportunity that never would have happened if Ruben had taken “no” for an answer. PHOTO: 365 community residents were fed because of the determination of  TJJD’s Ruben Trevino.

The following article was first published in GM Financial’s Inside GMF. Adrian Terry, AVP Process Excellence, works with teens at McFadden Ranch. ROANOKE, Texas – When Adrian Terry, AVP Process Excellence, starting mentoring at McFadden Ranch in 2015, he never imagined the impact he would make on the young men in the facility. McFadden Ranch is a community-based residential program located in Roanoke, Texas, which provides for the care and treatment of juvenile offenders. The approach to treatment at McFadden Ranch, a 48-bed facility, focuses on making lasting lifestyle changes. While at the Ranch, these young men obtain vocational and social skills training, individual and group mentoring, GED tutoring, and a variety of transitional support planning services. Youth at McFadden are referred to community service projects and can be streamlined into job placement on and off campus. The residents, ages 13-18, usually stay at McFadden Ranch for six to 18 months. “Every time I mento...

GIDDINGS, Texas – Giddings State School hosted its 2017 Victim Impact Panel (VIP) on Sunday, April 1st and Monday, April 2nd. The highly emotional gathering featured several crime victims and their families meeting with youth and staff at the facility. The event began with snacks and fellowship shared between VIP members, the Giddings youth student council, and Giddings State School staff. Aside from the many smiles shared between attendees, a wonderful program was held outdoors at the flagpole, which highlighted the true essence of the event. Giddings Superintendent Jorge Gonzalez declared April 2-9 Victim Impact Week and members of the student council shared their favorite quotes of healing and forgiveness. The event wrapped up with a balloon release in which youth, staff, and volunteers alike wrote messages of love, remembrance, and healing on their balloons in hopes of bringing a small measure of comfort to themselves and those around them. Monday was a day of sharing as VI...

EDINBURG, Texas – Evins Regional Juvenile Center celebrated the Easter weekend by having a daylong family event. The day was filled with food, music, a variety of games, and an Easter egg hunt for Evins youth and youth that have children. The event was partially funded by volunteers and the Evins Volunteer Council, now renamed the South Texas Youth Council. PHOTO: Father and son enjoying a beautiful day at Evins Easter egg Hunt

By Y. Denise Caldwell, CFRC Northern District ROANOKE, Texas – Family members of McFadden Ranch and Willoughby House youth have been receiving beautiful handcrafted greeting cards thanks to the efforts of former TJJD/TYC Parole Officer Nancy Davidson who currently volunteers as an Arts and Craft instructor for both Halfway Houses. She started last year with Christmas cards and assisted at the January Volunteer Appreciation Event where she designed the centerpieces and helped create the Souvenir Booklet. To date she’s had the youth make Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s, Easter, and Mother’s Day cards. She plans to continue her monthly classes with Father’s Day, 4th of July, Thinking of You, and more cards. “I enjoy it a lot,” said Davidson. “It helps me as much as it helps the youth.” The youth like making the cards too. They sometimes ask to make several because not only do they want to give their mother a card, but they want every woman in their life to have a unique car...

EDINBURG, Texas – Roy Trevino dedicated most of his life helping adults around him as a computer business analyst specialist at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. Now, recently retired, Mr. Trevino once again finds himself traveling to Edinburg on Tuesday nights to the Evins Regional Juvenile Center to mentor youth who have been committed to the state to help them cope with life behind the fence at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) facility. Mr. Trevino is also a member of First Baptist Church of Edinburg “My Brother’s Keeper.” The group has been active volunteers at Evins for the last eight years and sponsors monthly birthday parties and religious spiritual support for the boys in one of the dorms. Volunteers in the agency play a critical role in supplementing the agency’s rehabilitation program by offering a variety of life skills and other activities for the youth. Mentoring is one of them. Mentoring is a one-on-one assignment with a volunte...

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, a...