For Diane and Robert E. Findlay, showing kindness is as simple as looking past what a person has done.
The two are donating books to the Dallas County Jail, but making the experience personal for inmates. They got the idea to send books to the jail from their faith-based book club during the pandemic.
The Findlays thought it was a good idea since they felt like inmates were a group of people who were being overlooked.
Diane said — “These are people who at various levels and for various reasons have made mistakes and they have a lot of time on their hands. If we can help them use that time constructively … that’s a good thing.”
To make the experience personal, the couple gave surveys to the jail staff to distribute to those behind bars. The surveys asked what kind of books the inmates were interested in reading.
From that survey, Robert and Diane discovered one person wanted to learn Spanish, so they made sure to include a Spanish book along with the other books sent to the jail.
In the jail’s library room, the couple has three carts of books they have donated. The books come from different local libraries, book stores and community members.
The books are swapped out every few weeks.
Jail officials like the idea. Adam Infante, chief deputy at the Dallas County Sherriff’s Office said “The inmates have something to look forward to, they have something to do. Idle minds cause problems sometimes and they’re busy with that, which makes everybody a little less tense.”