
Chase is eight years old, and lives with his mother and sisters. He loves books and theater and is in many ways a typical child. But Chase is different - his father is in prison in Oklahoma, and Chase has not seen him since he was an infant. Chase has managed to maintain a relationship through calls and letters. He dreams of visiting his father in prison.
Arkansas Voices is helping Chase and his family travel to visit his father. Another goal is to get Chase enrolled in the Arkansas Arts Center Theater program this summer.
Through the book What Will Happen to Me? by Howard Zehr, Chase has learned about other children of incarcerated parents, which helps ease his sense of isolation. Chase's mother saw how this isolation affected him. "Sometimes Chase would cry for no apparent reason, and he would share his sadness with me." Each child of a prisoner is unique, but they all share the pain of loss, even when they do not know the incarcerated parent. They can imagine what "might have been", and that loss matters, too.
Arkansas Voices works with many children like Chase who need to know that they are not alone. To learn more about Arkansas Voices, visit our website at www.arkansasvoices.org.
Arkansas Voices is helping Chase and his family travel to visit his father. Another goal is to get Chase enrolled in the Arkansas Arts Center Theater program this summer.
Through the book What Will Happen to Me? by Howard Zehr, Chase has learned about other children of incarcerated parents, which helps ease his sense of isolation. Chase's mother saw how this isolation affected him. "Sometimes Chase would cry for no apparent reason, and he would share his sadness with me." Each child of a prisoner is unique, but they all share the pain of loss, even when they do not know the incarcerated parent. They can imagine what "might have been", and that loss matters, too.
Arkansas Voices works with many children like Chase who need to know that they are not alone. To learn more about Arkansas Voices, visit our website at www.arkansasvoices.org.