CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The McKinzie Annex has had a partnership with Del Mar College to help inmates prepare for a better life outside of the jail.
“ The more you stay busy the less you stay off the streets and to me that’s what it’s all about,” Alex Aparicio an inmate who has been at the jail for three months said.
Currently, there are about four inmates taking the course that lasts six weeks.
Aparicio said they have been learning how to build sheds from the ground up and said this opportunity could help change someone's life.
Originally outside of the jail he worked as a barber and tattoo artist.
" This is actually a really good skill to pick up, I could teach my sons and help. keep them off the streets, because you know that's the goal," he added.
Aparicio has seven kids and said he is looking forward to now teaching his boys what he has learned.
For three years the jail has teamed up with Del Mar College continuing education program — they focus on teaching the inmates about construction skills
“We give them basic construction skills, they learn about how to draw a plan, the vocabulary, the job site safety and actually getting out there and constructing something,” Sheriff JC Hooper said.
Hooper adds that this opportunity opens up many doors for the inmates to build connections which are important for a life after being in jail.
“They now have an open file at Del Mar College so once they get out of here it is very easy for them to continue their skills training,” he said.
Aparicio said not only are they learning how to work with others but they also learn team work, how to build scaffolds, how to use different power tools, and all about the different types of boards and what they are for.
Ted Lewis one of the Del Mar instructors said the inmates who participate in the program go out and get hands-on experience Monday through Thursday for eight hours a day.
Lewis said his favorite part about teaching is getting to know who the inmates really are.
“ They all work hard, they earn what they are learning and stuff and it’s fairly enjoyable for everyone involved,” Lewis said.
And not only are the inmates constructing these impressive buildings— but inmates are also giving back to the community.
“The material that goes into the building, it doesn’t come from taxpayer money," Hooper said."It comes from our commissary proceeds and so we’re taking something like commissary proceeds and reinvesting it with inmate skills inmate training and then ultimately it’s the gift that keeps on giving because now we rehome it to one of the nonprofits in our community."
Recently they donated one to New Life Refuge Ministry an anti trafficking organization.
“ We were in desperate need of a storage building just like this and so it’s been a huge blessing for us to be able to receive this donation, Minta Moore said.
Hooper said they hope to continue to donate more of the shed to local nonprofits.
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