Offenders provide nutritious meals to San Antonio underprivileged kids while learning culinary skills

Offender packing mutritious meals for underprivileged school children A partnership between the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the San Antonio Food Bank is reaping dividends for everyone as offenders learn culinary skills while providing meals for underprivileged children.

A group of preselected, trusty offenders travel from the Dominguez State Jail and Torres Unit to the food bank Monday through Friday. They spend half a day in a culinary school and the other half preparing hot and cold lunches for children who otherwise might not have a nutritious meal.

These meals are then distributed by the San Antonio Food Bank. While at the food bank, offenders from the Dominguez and Torres Unit prepare approximately 1,000 to 3,000 meals a day for area children in after-school programs.

During the summer, they are part of a team that provides between 3,500 and 5,000 meals per day to area children. In addition to refining their culinary skills, offenders can also receive training in the warehouse industry through classes offered by Windham School District. Beyond helping those in need, offenders can learn valuable job skills which will make them less likely to return to prison. Since 2008, nearly 130 offenders have successfully graduated from the program.

The San Antonio Food Back building exterior TDCJ Laundry, Food and Supply Department Assistant Director Ron Hudson said, "This program works because of the positive effect it has on offenders, knowing they are helping underprivileged children and giving back to the community. Part of TDCJ's mission statement is 'promote change in offender behavior.' This program provides them a positive skill that they can use once they've been released."

Offenders who participate in the program must be within two to five years of release and prior to entering the program they must also have clean disciplinary records. Offenders who complete the program are Serv-Safe certified, which will help assist them in working in the food service industry upon release.

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