Salinas Valley State Prison inmates donate $3,500 to SPCA

Inmates at Salinas Valley State Prison recently donated $3,500 to the SPCA for Monterey County, prison officials said.

The inmates are involved with the Freedom Within Prison Project, a self-help group at the prison, and recently raised money for the SPCA’s “Take the Lead Program”.

The “Take the Lead Program” is geared toward helping local at-risk youth by teaming them with a well-tempered, but untrained shelter dog. They work to achieve targeted training goals as they prepare the dogs for adoption. This program helps the youth with developing relationship skills, leadership and setting and achieving goals.

The Freedom Within Prison Project’s purpose and goal is to teach inmates how to take responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions by making a positive shift in their lives. This program has been active at SVSP for the last two years and is supported by the FWPP organization in Santa Cruz.