Get On The Bus unites families by bringing children and their guardians/caregivers from throughout the state of California to visit their mothers and fathers in prison.
Get On The Bus also raises awareness about the plight of children with parents in prison by coordinating a media campaign for print and broadcast media outlets.
Get On The Bus believes deeply that children have the right to speak with, see and touch their parent despite the separation created by distance and current correctional system policies. Children of incarcerated parents pay dearly for crimes they did not commit: the loss of their home, safety, public status and self-image, the source of their love and affection.
- Free transportation for the children and their caregivers to the prison.
- Travel bags for the children,
- Comfort care bags for the caregivers.
- A family photo of each child with his or her mother or father.
- Meals for the day (breakfast, snacks on the bus, lunch at the prison and dinner on the way home),
- Each child receives a teddy bear and personal letter from his or her parent after the visit; and
- Post-visit counseling on the ride home provided by volunteer therapists;
- A resource database to refer children and grandparents to additional services they may need (mentoring, Grandparents As Parents, Kairos Retreats, etc.).
Yes, everything provided by Get On The Bus is FREE!
Children with a Mother or Father in prison are usually cared for by relatives, often grandparents. Many caregivers are unable to make the drive due to distance or expense. Get On The Bus offers a priceless opportunity––a parent ’s hug, a family photo, a private conversation and a connection with hope and healing.
Get On The Bus takes place annually around Mother’s and Father’s Day.
This year’s dates by prison are:
Friday May 7, 2010- CIW, VSPW, CCWF
Saturday, June 5, 2010- CMC (1st 7 busses)
Saturday, June 12. 2010- CMC (2nd 7 busses)
Saturday, June 19, 2010- CTF, SVSP, CSP
The children and their guardians depart from major cities throughout California on chartered buses that travel to prisons in Chowchilla, Corona, San Luis Obispo, Solano and Soledad.
Get On The Bus is made possible thanks to the generosity of individuals and groups who have a heart for this special mission. Here are some ways that you can help:
- Volunteer to be on the local Get On The Bus Team.
- Be an Event, Bus, Family or Child Sponsor by contributing $1500, $500, $300 or $75, respectfully.
- Make a donation of any amount to help fund buses, food, travel bags and teddy bears.
- Organize an activity at your faith center, school or organization to raise money or prepare bags and teddy bears to create awareness about the children of parents in prison.
- Donate in-kind services such as blankets for the kids, items for the travel bags or supplies for the bus.Be a T-shirt sponsor.
- Call the office to find out how you can help contribute or gather in-kind goods or services.
You can contact one of our Regional Coordinators in the area nearest you and they will refer you to a local team based on your geographic area.
Karen Plante
310-903-3345
karen@getonthebus.us
Sr. Claire Williams
925-335-9314
claire@getonthebus.us
Tara Regan
925- 335-9314
Tara@getonthebus.us
Cece Lane
(805) 471-7117
cece@getonthebus.us
centralcoastoffice@getonthebus.us
Sr. Theresa Harpin
805-440-1013 ext 32
theresa@getonthebus.us
Lori Panziera
831-595-1995
lori@getonthebus.us
Ann Mangin
314-614-2391
ann@getonthebus.us
909-647-6192
tracy@getonthebus.us
Call the central office and offer to sponsor a bus. Your organization will need a leader and a team of volunteer who will be invited to our training day. Your organization must agree to be named as the agency sponsoring the bus.
Please contact one of our three offices nearest you
Main Office: Southern California Office
5411 Camellia Ave
North Hollywood, CA 91601
socaloffice@getonthebus.us
director@getonthebus.us
818-980-7714 Office
818-980-7702 Fax
Northern California Office
1125 Ferry St.
Martinez, CA 94553
925-335-9314 Office
925-228-1318 Fax
nocaloffice@getonthebus.us
Central Coast Office
221 Daly Ave
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
805-544-2357 x32 Office
805-544-6756 Fax
centralcoastoffice@getonthebus.us
Yes, contact the central office. We will refer you to the local team and they will assist you.
Yes, if you have a Mother or Father in prison, or if you are accompanying a child who has a Mother or Father is prison, you can Get On The Bus. Those who work on the local team ride the bus to assist with the trip. The program is not able to accommodate “volunteer riders” due to capacity restraints at the prison.
- Valley State Prison for Women, Chowchilla (VSPW)
- Central California Women’s Facility, Chowchilla (CCWF)
- California Institution for Women, Corona (CIW)
- California Men’s Colony, San Luis Obispo (CMC)
- California Training Facility, Soledad (CTF)
- California State Prison, Solano (CSP) *
- Salinas Valley State Prison, Soledad (SVSP) *
* CSP and SVSP are part of a pilot program this year and therefore, busses
will only be leaving from Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The buses leave from different places all over California. So far we have buses leaving from or stopping in the following areas:
- Antelope Valley
- Bakersfield
- Fresno
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Oakland
- Orange County
- Sacramento
- San Bernardino / Riverside
- San Diego
- San Fernando Valley
- San Francisco
- San Gabriel Valley
- San Jose
- San Luis Obispo
- Santa Rosa
- South Los Angeles
- Stockton
- Ventura / Santa Barbara
- Visalia
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