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notes from the field

Hearts for the Arts

population to be engaged in a instruction and a few ground
productive activity and to have rules, Deputy Falbe was able to
a direct, positive impact on our create a program that provided
local community. participating inmates with
Day after day, Deputy James paper bags, colored pencils,
Falbe conducted his routine and character books (for
rounds, checking cells and day­ copying).
rooms, noticing how artistically At first, Deputy Falbe and
talented our inmate population his wife contributed the major­
is. He observed hand­drawn ity of the art supplies to the
pictures, decorated envelopes, program. After a visit from the
sketches of famous individu­ undersheriff and a local news
als, common characters, and crew, many of our community
murals graffitied on walls. It members have now volun­
only took a short amount of teered to bring in art supplies,
time to realize that our inmate which are then donated to the
talent could be developed into program.
a partnership with a local non­ The community service pro­
profit organization called Kids gram has had a positive impact
Food Basket, located just a few on the inmate population.
miles from the Kent County Deputies have seen minimal
Correctional Facility. disturbances in the program’s
Kids Food Basket serves housing unit. The inmates are
approximately 8,800 children excited to be part of something
At the Kent County at 52 locations across 4 coun­ larger than themselves. Inmates
Correctional Facility in Grand ties in Western Michigan often coordinate efforts to pro­
Rapids, Michigan, we have (https://kidsfoodbasket.org). Each vide the best artwork by having
faced numerous challenges meal is packaged in a brown one person outline, another
brought on by the COVID­19 paper bag and called a “Sack color, another add shading,
pandemic. Prior to the pan­ Supper”, and contains a fruit, etc. They have become a team,
demic, we offered inmate vegetable, and protein, as well working toward one goal.
programs, library resources, as a healthy snack. Kids Food This is the first time that
numerous classes, large day­ Basket operates with 250 daily Deputy Falbe has involved
room activity, and work release volunteer workers, food dona­ himself with an inmate pro­
programs; however, everything tions, and lots of fundraisers. gram of this magnitude. It is a
came to a halt with the threat of Kids Food Basket routinely pleasure to watch this program
illness looming. asks the community to decorate develop and impact so many in
We became eager to find brown paper bags that are used such a positive way.
programs in which the inmate to distribute their pre­packed
population could participate meals to children in need. The
without violating the restric­ correctional facility inmate DEPUTY KYLIE HOESCH
tions recently put in place. Born population has participated in Kent County Correctional Facility
Grand Rapids, Michigan
out of our new limitation was the lunch bag decorating in the kylie.hoesch@kentcountymi.gov
the “Hearts for the Arts” pro­ past, but only as an occasional
gram, which allows the inmate activity, never as a full­time
program. With some minor

62 | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021 AMERICANJails