The holiday season can be a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness, but for the thousands of men and women incarcerated in South Dakota’s correctional facilities, Christmas can be one of the loneliest and most difficult times of the year. This is where your support can make a world of difference.
Each year, the chaplains’ group serving South Dakota’s prisons and jails works tirelessly to bring a small bit of holiday cheer to every inmate in the state. Through the Prison Christmas Sack Project, volunteers pack and distribute special Christmas treat sacks to inmates at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls, the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield, the minimum-security unit in Yankton, the Women’s Prison in Pierre, and the Sioux Falls County Jail. The project provides a small, but meaningful, gesture of care and kindness during a season that can otherwise be full of isolation and despair.
However, in order to bring joy to over 3,800 inmates, we need your help.
This simple but thoughtful gesture brings hope and warmth to men and women who may feel forgotten by the outside world. It shows them they are not alone, that their lives have value, and that they are worthy of love and kindness—even during a time of hardship.
How You Can Help
While this project has become a beloved tradition, the logistics are challenging. Due to Department of Corrections policies, all items must be pre-packaged from the factory—which means we must purchase all the goodies that are distributed. This increases the overall cost of the project, but it is essential to ensure everything is safe and compliant with the regulations.
For the 2024 Christmas season, we need to raise $31,000 to cover the cost of purchasing and distributing these holiday treat sacks. This funding will allow us to provide each of the over 3,800 inmates with a small gift bag filled with special, pre-packaged treats that they can enjoy during Christmas.
Why Your Support Matters
Incarceration often brings with it feelings of isolation, shame, and despair. For many inmates, receiving a Christmas sack is one of the few opportunities they have to experience a personal, uplifting gesture. Your financial gift can help us share the hope and joy of Christmas with those who are most in need of encouragement.
By contributing to this project, you are helping to:
– Lift the spirits of thousands of inmates who may feel forgotten by the outside world.
– Provide a simple, meaningful treat that will bring some joy to a difficult season.
– Show love and compassion to people who are in a place of great need, reminding them that they are seen, valued, and not beyond redemption.
Ways to Give
We invite you to participate by making a financial donation to support the Prison Christmas Sack Project. Every dollar counts and brings us one step closer to our goal.
Here’s how you can help:
Mail your donation to:
SDPCA Christmas Sacks
601 West 57th St.
Sioux Falls, SD 57108
*(Please include “Christmas Sacks” in the memo line of your check.)*
Make a donation via text- Text Give at 605-789-5550