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ANNOUNCEMENT
August 26, 2022
Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Tim Soignet is pleased to announce that four Terrebonne Parish Schools will be the recipient of close to $1,200 in donated school supplies from a typically unlikely source…INMATES!
In August, Sheriff Tim Soignet received a handwritten letter from inmates of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Transitional Work Release Program (TWP), who were requesting to make a donation towards the purchase of school supplies for the community of Terrebonne Parish. Sheriff Soignet confirmed the request with Corrections Staff and the Department of Corrections, and the request was granted. The money donated by the inmates was derived from their personal financial accounts that are directly linked to their employment within the TWP.
The Transitional Work Release Program is not something new to the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, but the current program was re-established and enhanced at the onset of Sheriff Soignet’s acceptance as Sheriff. Inmates who are selected into the program, are allowed to work various jobs throughout several parishes, as a way to reacclimate them to the work force and allow them to develop the tools necessary to become a productive member of society upon their release. The TWP has seen dramatic improvements within the program to not only assist the community by increasing workers, but to also rehabilitate and provide direction to inmates for their future beyond incarceration.
The monetary donation was used to purchase pens, pencils, loose leaf paper, crayons, folders, paper towels, dry erase boards, spiral notebooks, construction paper, and many more school related items. The Administration of the TWP reached out to several local Terrebonne based Schools, who were more than pleased to accept the supplies. The selected recipients of the supplies are Upper Little Caillou Elementary School, Legion Park Elementary School, Montegut Elementary School, and Acadian Elementary School.
On Saturday, August 20, 2022, the TWP offenders were allowed to package the supplies for delivery to the schools, and also enjoyed a BBQ dinner prepared by the staff of the TWP, as a token of appreciation from Sheriff Tim Soignet. The supplies were later delivered and presented to the principal of each school by Warden Rusty Hornsby and Assistant Warden Jacob Fonseca of the TWP.
Sheriff Soignet would like to recognize the following inmates who participated so graciously in this endeavor: Michael Dover, Everette Arcement, Roger Thibodaux, Ron. E Lewis, Steve Callais, Andrew Scott, Aaron Charrier, Joshua Johnson, Bobby Nelton, Nicholas Gilmore, Lawrence Toliver, Derek Thompson, Rubin Marshall Jr., and Ryan Heath Cutts.
Sheriff Tim Soignet is extremely happy and honored to participate in such an amazing display of compassion and community. Sheriff Soignet said, “I am extremely proud of each and every inmate that developed and participated in this amazing venture. Our offenders in the program have made great strides in not only their employment, but in their personal growth. I understand that the TWP does not work for everyone, but this is a wonderful example of what can be accomplished when we work together to make our community a better place for all. These men decided on their own to give back, and make a difference, and I believe they should be commended for their actions.”