Even Prisoners Deserve a Breeze...
Donation protected
Imagine being incarcerated in the hottest state(based on a year-round average) in the United States with no air conditioning, no ceiling fan, not even a personal fan. This is the reality that the prisoners of Florida face every single day. Although much cooler states provide air conditioning or fans, Florida is not one of these states. Worse still, all prisoners are strictly required to remain fully dressed (in underclothes, shirt, pants, socks, and shoes) during daytime hours while locked inside the cells, often with cellmates. This is all while the heat index is routinely above a 100°F.
While there are already documented cases of heat caused illness and even death in our prisons, this situation is set to get even more dire. In Florida, Climate Central, a nonprofit climate science news organization, estimates that by 2050 the average number of days above 90 degrees in Miami will increase from 86 to 134.
Even more vulnerable, the South Florida Reception Center (located on the outskirts of the Florida Everglades) has one dorm specially designated for elderly inmates and those in need of palliative or long-term care. The facility also provides care for inmates transitioning from hospital stays but not ready for an infirmary level of care at an institution.
To illustrate the scorching heat these elderly inmates are facing, take a look at a recent incident during the very active hurricane season in 2017. When Hurricane Irma pounded Florida's coastline, it knocked out power (this means A/C) to thousands of Floridians. One particular news story from this event is when The Rehabilitation Center of Hollywood Hills--a nursing home in south Florida--lost power, knocking out its air conditioning. These vulnerable seniors were stuck in sweltering heat for days. Sadly, eight seniors died from the extreme temperatures (six more died later in hospitalization).
In response, Florida officials took disciplinary action against the facility, suspending its license, putting a moratorium on admissions, and instituting a January 2018 deadline for all Florida nursing homes to have air conditioning with backup generators or face a $1000/day fine.
Unfortunately, situations like this are a reality for senior inmates all over Florida prisons incarcerated in the sweltering heat. These vulnerable and voiceless prisoners live without air conditioning every day.
Who are we?
We are a group of family and friends of a current inmate at the South Florida Reception Center who like all inmates at this facility suffer from extreme temperatures every day.
What can you do?
While air conditioning would be the best and most humane solution to this, the least we can do is help the most powerless and voiceless segment of our population, get a breeze! We have secured approval for industrial fans to be installed throughout the South Florida Reception Center South Unit. The inmates will both install and maintain the fans.
This is where you come in... Each fan costs $225 installed. We need 60 fans to cover all of the living spaces in the facility. This is $13,500.
Will you purchase?
1 Fan = $225
1/2 of a Fan = $112.5
1/4 of a Fan = $56.25
In reality, ANY amount helps towards the purchase of a fan and could quite literally help save a life. Even our prisoners deserve humane living conditions! In the HOTTEST STATE in our country at a minimum, they should have some air circulation! To put it in perspective, even animal shelters in Florida have air conditioning, while our prisoners sit in stagnant heat.
Thank you so much for considering a donation to our cause.
God bless!
While there are already documented cases of heat caused illness and even death in our prisons, this situation is set to get even more dire. In Florida, Climate Central, a nonprofit climate science news organization, estimates that by 2050 the average number of days above 90 degrees in Miami will increase from 86 to 134.
Even more vulnerable, the South Florida Reception Center (located on the outskirts of the Florida Everglades) has one dorm specially designated for elderly inmates and those in need of palliative or long-term care. The facility also provides care for inmates transitioning from hospital stays but not ready for an infirmary level of care at an institution.
To illustrate the scorching heat these elderly inmates are facing, take a look at a recent incident during the very active hurricane season in 2017. When Hurricane Irma pounded Florida's coastline, it knocked out power (this means A/C) to thousands of Floridians. One particular news story from this event is when The Rehabilitation Center of Hollywood Hills--a nursing home in south Florida--lost power, knocking out its air conditioning. These vulnerable seniors were stuck in sweltering heat for days. Sadly, eight seniors died from the extreme temperatures (six more died later in hospitalization).
In response, Florida officials took disciplinary action against the facility, suspending its license, putting a moratorium on admissions, and instituting a January 2018 deadline for all Florida nursing homes to have air conditioning with backup generators or face a $1000/day fine.
Unfortunately, situations like this are a reality for senior inmates all over Florida prisons incarcerated in the sweltering heat. These vulnerable and voiceless prisoners live without air conditioning every day.
Who are we?
We are a group of family and friends of a current inmate at the South Florida Reception Center who like all inmates at this facility suffer from extreme temperatures every day.
What can you do?
While air conditioning would be the best and most humane solution to this, the least we can do is help the most powerless and voiceless segment of our population, get a breeze! We have secured approval for industrial fans to be installed throughout the South Florida Reception Center South Unit. The inmates will both install and maintain the fans.
This is where you come in... Each fan costs $225 installed. We need 60 fans to cover all of the living spaces in the facility. This is $13,500.
Will you purchase?
1 Fan = $225
1/2 of a Fan = $112.5
1/4 of a Fan = $56.25
In reality, ANY amount helps towards the purchase of a fan and could quite literally help save a life. Even our prisoners deserve humane living conditions! In the HOTTEST STATE in our country at a minimum, they should have some air circulation! To put it in perspective, even animal shelters in Florida have air conditioning, while our prisoners sit in stagnant heat.
Thank you so much for considering a donation to our cause.
God bless!
Fundraising team: Team Cool Breeze (2)
David Costanzo
Organizer
Boynton Beach, FL
David Barden
Beneficiary
Cassaundra Kenny
Team member
Cherie Hamil
Team member
