TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — 2.7 million children across the U.S. have parents who are incarcerated. Arizona leads the Western states with more than 175,000 Arizona children with a parent in jail or prison.
The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program was established nearly 28 years ago and is still impacting mother and daughter relationships today. The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program is returning January 2023. The goal of the program is to keep mothers in prison connected to their daughters during tough times. The girls are able to visit their mothers twice a month and work on projects to help reconnect and maintain the identity of mom and daughter.
On March 14, 2020 a bus full of girls eager to see their moms who are at the Perryville Prison had to turn around because of the COVID-19 shutdown.
“For most of these girls, it’s been two years since they’ve seen their mother so we anticipate the first several sessions to truly just be about connecting, hugging, catching up in person and having that physical connection," said Kristen Garcia-Hernandez, CEO Girls Scouts of Southern Arizona.
The Girls Scouts Beyond Bars program is still looking to fill more spots. As of late October, eight girls are signed up for the program and you do not have to be a Girl Scout to participate.
“Nothing else of the past matters, it’s just about that time together with their daughter and daughter getting to be with mom,” said Kristen Garcia-Hernandez, CEO Girls Scouts of Southern Arizona.
Funding has been a significant part in getting these programs up and running again. A recent $1.4 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott will impact Southern Arizona Girl Scouts directly by funding and creating more programs that are in need for underrepresented girls in our community just like the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program.
At the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, the money will also fund STEM exploration, hands-on coding, aeronautics and sustainability.
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Brooke Chau is a reporter for KGUN 9. She was a part of Fresno State's newscast, Fresno State Focus and interned at KFSN-ABC30 in Fresno, CA before coming to KGUN 9. Share your story ideas and important issues with Brooke by emailing brooke.chau@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
