Prison Fellowship

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • All Options
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Start a Fundraiser
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
Search
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camp
    • Justice Reform
      • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • News & Updates
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
    • Research and Evaluation
      • Good Citizenship Model®
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Resources for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
      • Subscribe To The Hope Connection
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Angel Tree Coordinator Training
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Create: New Beginnings Book
    • Share on Social
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Beliefs
    • Mission & Vision
    • Financials
      • Financials
      • 2024 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • About Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards

Inside Oklahoma’s Warriors Quilting Club at MBCC

May 14, 2020 by Emily Andrews

Prisoners Sew Masks for Health Care Workers

Mabel Bassett Correctional Center (MBCC) is a maximum-security state prison for women in McLoud, Oklahoma. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, access to family and their usual in-prison programming is unavailable. Their need for uplifting activities is greater than ever.

Productivity may look different during a pandemic, but inside MBCC, incarcerated women are making the best of it. The prisoners have produced thousands of handcrafted medical masks to send out to the community. The project is a coordinated effort by MBCC's in-prison sewing club, local nonprofits, and generous donors.

"These ladies are great at what they do," MBCC Capt. Clint Bennett told KFOR.com. "They work well as a team."

To all involved, the project is a much-needed mission.

A LABOR OF LOVE

Flourish’s Emily Whitson contacted Tammy Franklin, Prison Fellowship Academy® manager at MBCC, with the idea to involve incarcerated women in a special service project.

After mere days and a few phone calls, the collective effort began. The talented ladies of the Warriors Quilting Club at MBCC—several of whom are Prison Fellowship Academy participants—paused their usual sewing projects to produce face masks for local hospitals. Hobby Lobby, which helped fund the opening of Oklahoma's first Academy sites, donated truckloads of fabric and 10 sewing machines.

Every year, Flourish awards grants to groups to continue their work in a particular focus area. The 2020 category is over-incarceration in Oklahoma. But this year's celebration event, which would have included Prison Fellowship®, was canceled in March due to COVID-19.

"We have a network of amazing, innovative people who love Jesus and wanted to come together and do something," says Emily. "Everyone jumped in where they were needed. Nobody wanted the credit. It was all about getting masks to people who need them."

Tammy, Emily, correctional staff, and others partnered to deliver completed masks weekly from prison gates to hospital parking lots. In the first two days of the project, the ladies of MBCC produced and donated more than 1,000 masks. Since then, many hospitals in the surrounding area also have called to request masks.

Hospital staffs know they are receiving masks made by prisoners, Tammy says. "It absolutely gives the [incarcerated women] a sense of worthiness. I know we all feel this frustration of, 'I don't know how to help, or what to do.' This has met that need for the women ... being seen and known and giving back."

Tammy adds, "It touched everybody's heart to know that the women pray over every mask they make."

PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER

Oklahoma Correctional Industries (OCI), which employs incarcerated people to make garments, textiles, and more, joined the effort to meet the growing need for masks. And as fabric donations kept up with the demand, the project has expanded to give masks to other high-risk populations in the community, from retirement communities to homeless shelters. The goal is to also produce enough masks for all the women and staff at MBCC.

The deputy warden at MBCC has received photos from members of the community wearing masks from MBCC. He showed them to the ladies of the Warriors Quilting Club and said, "Here are the people you are protecting with your masks."

To date, those involved in the sewing project have donated more than 10,000 handmade masks to the people of Oklahoma City. And the MBCC ladies are still busy sewing.

"It means a lot to me to be able to give back to the community, to make a difference, to show that we are more than just a number," Kelsey, a prisoner, told told KFOR.com. "And that we actually do care about the community and that we can give back."

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has a unique impact on those living and working inside jails and prisons. In states like Oklahoma and across our nation, Prison Fellowship calls directly on policymakers to respond. As Christians, it is vital that we act now for the protection and care of the most vulnerable among us. Use our simple online tool to contact your federal and state lawmakers and request change through funding and incarceration alternatives.

ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE

DID YOU ENJOY THIS ARTICLE?

Make sure you don' t miss out on any of our helpful articles and incredible transformation stories! Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter, and you' ll get great content delivered directly to your inbox.

Your privacy is safe with us. We will never sell, trade, or share your personal information.

Filed Under: Prison & Prisoners, Prison Fellowship Academy, Prison Fellowship News & Updates Tagged With: COVID-19, COVID-19 Stories, Oklahoma, Women's Ministry

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • Hope Events
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Month
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

The Powerful Love of Moms Behind Bars

May 7, 2025

How Camp Can Change the Life of a Prisoner’s Child

April 30, 2025

Prison Fellowship’s Statement After United States Senate Declares April 2025 as Second Chance Month

April 29, 2025

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

Join our online community

Facebook Facebook X (Twitter) X (Twitter) Instagram Instagram YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • Warden Exchange

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2025 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports CampTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.