Ministry helps children of incarcerated mothers celebrate Christmas

Grandma might have been run over by a reindeer, but Santa Claus got knocked over by a bunch of hug-happy children thrilled to have a little Christmas cheer in their lives.

It was at a Christmas party last year for children of women incarcerated at the Escambia County Jail. More than 80 smiling, cheerful kids swarmed Santa from the moment they spied the jolly man.

"They came in, grabbed me and actually got me unended," said Santa − Marcus Pointe Baptist Church Outreach Minister Bill Hise. "And I loved every moment of it."

This year, Justified Incarcerated Ministries hosted its eighth annual Operation Bless a Child Christmas Party on Saturday at Splash City Adventures in Pensacola. The party was for the children of the estimated 350 mothers who are currently incarcerated at the Escambia County Jail, said Reginald Benjamin, an Escambia County Jail chaplain who started Justified Incarcerated Ministries along with his wife, Joan Benjamin, in 2015.

The nonprofit organization, which is not affiliated with the Escambia County Jail, was formed to serve the needs of the incarcerated and their families on the outside. The organization has worked with county jails and juvenile detention centers and provided services such as donating clothes for people coming in and out of incarceration, buying bus tickets for inmates to go back home, providing suits for court dates and helped former inmates get their records sealed or expunged, especially in cases where the charges were dropped.

The Christmas party, the Benjamins said, is probably the most rewarding aspect of their ministry. Last year, about 80 children attended, along with their guardians, usually family and friends of the incarcerated women. This year, Justified Incarcerated Ministries expected between 100 and 150 children to attend.

"These children are used to be being with their mothers this time of year," Joan Benjamin said. "They depend on their mothers. It breaks my heart some of the stories we hear. We give them this day to just experience Christmas joy like everyone else and maybe forget their problems for a while and just be kids."

The children visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus − Bill and Evelyn Hise − and received presents, ate pizza, played games, rode rides and had a merry old time. Justified Incarcerated Ministries gets toys through church donations − the Benjamins attend Brownsville Church − as well as from Toys for Tots and other organizations, and through donations.

The Benjamins usually have the party at Splash City Adventures − formerly Sam's Fun City − which provides the fun environment for the children.

"Some of the stories are heartbreaking," said West Hubbard, Splash City Adventures general manager, who himself portrays Santa Claus at the park's own Christmas events. "What they do hits pretty close to home for me. I had a friend incarcerated years ago who was going through the same situation. This is a great way to help these children who are in tough situations."

Last year, Angela Knight took her nephews and nieces to the Operation Bless a Child Christmas Party. The children's mother was released after Christmas, but was arrested again this year. Knight took four children − ages 9 months to 15 years old − to the Christmas party again at Splash City Adventures.

"For the most part, they're doing OK," Knight said. "The 11-year-old and the 4-year-old were both getting used to her being here, but now she's gone again."

She said the party doesn't diminish the loss of a mother at Christmas, but it does help.

"I just think that with their mom gone, they feel like nobody cares,'' Knight said. "So it's a nice time for them."

For more information on Justified Incarcerated Ministries, go to the group's Facebook page at Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola ministry aims to ease Christmas pain for some children