Butterfly BLue:
These guys are in the Protective Custody Unit. This means that they are stuck in their Housing Unit all the time, except for trips to the Medical Unit which they are escorted and the hallways are cleared of all other inmates.
These inmates can't get out to work in the kitchen or laundry or the like, but the Programs Warden knew that they need a jobs program which paid more than being a Pod Porter. Pod Porters are the janitors of the cell blocks. There are 306 men in a Housing unit. They are divided into 5 different Cell Blocks - we call them Pods. The porters get paid 20 cents per hour to clean the floors and the showers.
The Programs Warden was, herself, a quilter. She proposed to the Senior Warden this program. He was sure they wouldn't want to do any such thing, but she could go ahead and try. She posted the job & 8 inmates jumped at the chance. In 1 month, there were 60 Quilt Techs hired. The quilting program stayed at 60 Quilt Techs until about 18 months ago when we grew to 130 and about a year ago we jumped to 200+.
At first, she was buying the fabric at WalMart, taking it home and cutting it into 2 1/2" squares and packaging it into baggies. This became too much for her, so she advertised for someone to run the program. My BFF was here in New Mexico from Milwaukee when the ad in the newspaper appeared. I thought I would like to do that, but didn't want to take any time away from BFFs visit, so put that thought away. That was in June. In August, another ad appeared and this time I went for it. I was hired in the Lobby when I showed up for the interview!. She took me straight back into the prison to meet the "boys."
BTW - that Senior Warden is now the Secretary of the Department of Corrections for the State of New Mexico, and as you have seen, that program is alive and kicking! This fellow wants 200 quilts every Christmas for a birthday party for a lady here in Hobbs. She has been throwing herself a party every year for who knows how long. All invitees are expected to bring gifts that will benefit the children of Hobbs. Cool, huh?