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Family Connection

     Mother's Day weekend, May 12, 1996, the Family Connection Hospitality House opened its doors for the first time. The hospitality house provides a safe, dignified place for wives, children, and families of inmates in the South Dakota State Penitentiary to stay while visiting their loved one in the prison. The goal of this compassionate non-profit ministry is to help keep families together while they are apart. The focus of the project is to provide support, information, lodging, and emergency supplies for the families in order that visitation will be enhanced. To date over 540 families from South Dakota and 21 other states have been served in the hospitality house which is located at 303 North Minnesota Avenue. The families did not commit a crime, but they suffer the negative effects of the crime on a daily basis because through no fault of their own, they are not able to see their loved one, and they bear the shame and misplaced guilt for the crime. To the majority of us, the families of inmates are strangers; we do not see them or think about them. Hebrews 13:2 is the Biblical foundation for the work of Family Connection, "Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing, many have entertained angels unawares."

     In March of 1994, the seeds for the hospitality house were planted. The singular lights of the many individuals who have helped with ideas, time, energy, and financial support has made the Family Connection house a reality and a beacon of light to many hurting families in our community and state. This project is volunteer driven and supported.

     With 1,200 inmates housed in the prison system in Sioux Falls who average in age from 22-26 years, there are a number of young mothers and children who are suffering from the crime committed by the inmate. A survey completed in the SD State Penitentiary in 1994 indicated that 47% of the families must travel over 250 miles to visit. The income level of 48% of the inmate families is between $5,000 and $10,000 per year. These statistics underscore the need for such a facility in our community and state. In the two years that families have been served at the hospitality house, these statistics have been bourne out.

     Family Connection provides the much needed link to help the families visit their loved one in prison. The benefits of this project enhances the lives of the families, the children and the inmate. When the inmate is eventually released from prison, if the family unit is intact, research has shown that the chances the inmate would re-offend would be decreased and our society as a whole benefits. Recent studies have shown that when children are able to keep contact with the incarcerated parent, the chances that the child will repeat the negative pattern of crime are reduced by five times. Because the parent committed a crime does not change the fact that the child loves the parent.

     A children's program has been recently added to the work of Family Connection which is designed to help the children cope with the separation and help them to revision their own lives and choices. This is an exciting program that is one of less than ten such programs in the country.

     In his book A Dangerous Grace, Chuck Colson says, "The Bible's answer to social decay is men and women coming together in obedience to God to build strong families. There is no more potent prescription for moral and social renewal." Family Connection is working with churches and other organizations in our community and state to help keep families together while they are apart.

     Submitted by:

     Ann Marie Rossing
     Chair, Board of Directors and project founder