ABLE TO TRACK HIM DOWN, THOUGH AND TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY. AND WHILE MANY ARE GATHERED AROUND FAMILY TODAY, THAT MAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT FOR CHILDREN EXPERIENCING PARENTAL INCARCERATION, BUT A PROGRAM TO HELP RESTORE THEIR CHRISTMAS HERE IN OKLAHOMA IS GIVING HOPE TO THOSE CHILDREN. NEWS FOUR'S TAYLOR MITCHELL IS TALKING WITH A FORMER INCARCERATED MOTHER WHO SAYS THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM MAY BE DIFFERENT AND HER FAMILY. >> IN OKLAHOMA, THERE ARE ABOUT 135,000 CHILDREN EXPERIENCING PARENTS INCARCERATION. SO THIS HOLIDAY IS NOT IDEAL FOR SOME, HOWEVER, A SPECIAL PROGRAM THAT HELPS CONNECT THE CHILDREN WITH THEIR PARENTS DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON HELPED STRENGTHEN ONE OKLAHOMA FAMILY. >> THEY WOULD GO >> PURCHASE AND THEN WRAPPED IN THAT DELIVER THEM. >> AND BEFORE BY CHRISTMAS TO >> AND THEN THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE ANGEL TREE. PEOPLE HAVE THAT LOVE. >> INCARCERATED AND CHILDREN AND THAT HAD NEVER EVEN MET. THAT BROUGHT A LOT OF HEALING. SHEILA HARGUS IS TALKING ABOUT THE PRISON FELLOWSHIPS ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES GIFTS TO CHILDREN ON BEHALF OF THEIR INCARCERATED PARENT.
>> EVEN THOUGH I HAD OWN CHOICES THAT IT'S NOW AND HEALING CAN START TO TAKE PLACE THAT THEY WOULD KNOW. I WAS THINKING OF MEN DURING CHRISTMAS. HARGUS SAYS SHE AND HER FAMILY USED THE PROGRAM FOR YEARS WHILE SHE COMPLETED HER SENTENCE INSIDE OKLAHOMA PRISONS. I WAS SENTENCED TO 28 YEARS WHEN I GOT TO PRISON. >> AND MY FAMILY WAS VERY UPSET WITH ME SO THEY WERE NOT TALKING WITH ME. THEY HAD MY CHILDREN, THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. ALSO FAITH-BASED HARGUS SAYS SHE FOUND CRISIS AND IT COMPLETELY CHANGED HER LIFE FOR THE BETTER AND ALSO RESTORED HER FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. WE'VE BEEN DOING MINISTRY WORK TO TALK EVERY WEEK. >> WE GO OUT EAT. WE HAVE FANTASTIC RELATIONSHIPS ARE PROUD OF ME. NOW. HARGUS HELPS OTHER FAMILIES THROUGH THE PROGRAM BY DELIVERING GIFTS TO OKLAHOMA CHILDREN WHO HAVE PARENTS INSIDE THE PRISON SYSTEM.
IT CAN LIFE CHANGING FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. TAYLOR MITCHELL, OKLAHOMA'S NEWS. 4, THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ALSO OFFER SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO OKLAHOMA CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED PARENTS R LIKE.