FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) with South Carolina Department of Aging for a project they are calling Operation Spread the Joy. Offenders have made gifts and cards of encouragement for nursing home residents across the state. SCDC staff delivered about 2,000 items to residents at more than a dozen nursing homes Thursday.
News 13 was at the Florence nursing home, Faith Healthcare Center at the time of a delivery. At a time when both offenders and nursing home residents aren’t able to have visitors, the offenders have been spending their time making items for nursing home residents. SCDC gave News 13 a inside look of the card and gift making process and also a video of an inmate singing a song hoping to bring a smile to residents faces.
Joseph McFadden with SCDC says this is just a start of things the department wants to do.
“We want to give back to the communities…let them know that we are thinking about them and we wanted to do something that will inspire them,” McFadden said.
One inmate says being able to be a part of this project makes him feel good to give back to the community.
“We know how much it means to get a card or a small gift and what that means to receive something like that so we wanted to take the opportunity to do the same for our elderly community and assisted living facilities,” one inmate said.
McFadden says the purpose of this project is to bring joy to residents who are not able to make contact with their loved ones during this difficult time. He also says this is a plus because of how happy the inmates are to participate.
