National News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa, January 27, 2005 - Once again, Correctional Service Canada's (CSC) Giving Back to the Community campaign proved to be a great success. Throughout the month of December 2004, hundreds of staff members and offenders rallied together in an effort to bring joy and happiness to those less fortunate in the community. Children and the elderly were among those who received donations of food, clothing, toys and money as a result of this successful campaign.

"This is the fifth national campaign where CSC staff and federal offenders are giving back to the community. Every year they make great efforts to bring something special to those in the community who need it the most," said the Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

"With the help and support of staff, offenders are given the opportunity to demonstrate accountability through their willingness to contribute in a positive way to the well-being of society. It is an important step toward their reintegration into the community," said Acting Commissioner Don Head.

Many community agencies from across the country benefited from CSC's Giving Back to the Community campaign including women's shelters, meals on wheels, food banks, United Way, Child Find, Candace Derkson Foundation, Transition Houses, Habitat for Humanity, homes for the elderly and the Red Cross.

For December's campaign, CSC has collected and donated:

• $21,800 in donations given to needy families and to agencies in local communities;
• 8,000 gifts and toys, including 100 bicycles, to needy children and organizations such as Children's Aid Societies;
• 4,000 pounds of food items to families in need and/or to local food banks and soup kitchens; and
• 650 clothing items to needy families and local community agencies.

CSC's Giving Back to the Community campaign is an initiative that continues throughout the year. Inmates at federal penitentiaries across Canada are now raising money to support tsunami relief efforts. To date, inmate initiatives at twenty-one institutions operated by CSC have raised more than $4,700 for the disaster region and support efforts continue.

For further information, please contact the following offices:

Suzanne Cobb -- NHQ
CSC, Ottawa
613-943-5048

Claire Bisson - Quebec
CSC, Laval
450-967-3373

Diane Russon - Ontario
CSC, Kingston
613-545-8210

Cathy Stocki - Prairies
CSC, Saskatoon
306-975-5082

Dennis Finlay - Pacific
CSC, Abbotsford
604-870-2680

Denis D'Amour - Atlantic
CSC, Moncton
506-851-2833