For Sophia Pirelli, it all started in a Sunday school class.
A young boy in that class taught by Pirelli offered a tearful prayer for his father, who had been incarcerated since 2002. The prayer moved Pirelli, who says that God placed a passion in her heart at that moment to serve children who had a mom or dad behind bars.
The Pirelli family decided to dedicate their ranch in San Jacinto, California, to serving these kids. Since that decision, Calicinto Ranch has hosted more than 2,000 children with an incarcerated parent, serving as an Angel Tree camp.
"Our hope is to redirect children's lives so they will start new traditions and will break the cycle of crime that was set before them," Pirelli says in a story in the Riverside (CA) Valley News. "To give them hope for a fulfilled, productive life so they can make a difference in their families, schools and communities."
According to the Department of Justice, there are currently 2.3 million children with at least one parent behind bars. More than half of those are under the age of 10, with an average age of 8.
"With the numbers so high, there is a lot of need out there," says Pirelli, "a lot of opportunity to be a blessing and make a difference to others that need help and encouragement."
Every year, thousands of children across the country participate in Angel Tree camping programs like the one at Calicinto Ranch. To learn more about camping opportunities in your area, or to find out how you can play a part in providing camping opportunities, click here.