Thousands of Texas prison inmates donate over $53K for Hurricane Harvey relief

The guard tower at a Texas State prison unit is submerged by water from the flooded Brazos River in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, in Rosharon, Texas (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) The guard tower at a Texas State prison unit is submerged by water from the flooded Brazos River in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Friday, Sept. 1, 2017, in Rosharon, Texas (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Photo: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press Photo: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press Image 1 of / 123 Caption Close Thousands of Texas prison inmates donate over $53K for Hurricane Harvey relief 1 / 123 Back to Gallery

Texas prison inmates donated more than $53,000 through their commissary funds to be used for Hurricane Harvey relief, according to a prison system spokesman.

The prisons put up a flier near the commissary store in each facility, said Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The fund was open for donations from Aug. 31 through Sept. 30, Clark said.

During that time, 6,600 inmates donated $53,863 which will be sent to the American Red Cross fund benefiting victims of Hurricane Harvey.The average donation was $8, but several offenders donated a couple hundred dollars or more, he said.

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Texas prison system set up a similar fund, after many inmates asked how they could donate to help storm victims. Inmates raised well over $44,000 in a combined fund for Katrina and Rita relief, Clark said.

He said he wasn't surprised at the generosity of the people incarcerated in Texas facilities.

"Certainly Hurricane Harvey was a prolonged event and many of these offenders had families and friends that were effected by it," Clark said. "They saw what was going on and wanted in some form or fashion to help."

Clark noted that prison staff also stepped up to help each other's families and people in their communities during the storm.

"Many came and brought diapers, food, gift cards, money and delivered that correctly to correctional officers and others effected," he said. "Across the board we have seen generosity from everyone during this difficult time."

Support for Texas prisons and employees--which experienced evacuations and storm damage-- also came from the outside.

Individuals, businesses, organizations, and other prison personnel from other states sent monetary donations to the Texas Corrections Association, raising approximately $67,000 to help criminal justice employees impacted by the storm, according to a social media post from Bryan Collier, Texas prison director.

"The generosity shown is truly remarkable," Collier wrote. "Thank you to the Association of State Correctional Administrators, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Indiana Department of Correction, Texas Public Employees Association, Texas Corrections Association and many others known and unknown who gave so unselfishly. Storms come and go but the outpouring of support will not soon be forgotten."