Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC)
Program | Program Partners | Highlights as of December 2024 |
Beekeeping | Expert community beekeeper, Washington State Beekeepers Association | 5 hives; graduated Journeyman, Apprentice, and Beginner Level beekeepers. |
Prairie Conservation Nursery | Center for Natural Lands Management, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Zoo, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship, Whidbey-Camano Land Trust, Friends of Puget Prairies, and Wolf Haven International | Technicians now earn up to 18 college credits for this program; In the 2023, cultivated ~61,000 prairie plants for habitat restoration; |
Foundations in Gardening Curriculum | This 4 credit college course has had 64 students complete since it started in 2020. | |
Foundations in Composting Curriculum | This 2 credit class started its first cohort in Fall 2024! | |
Gardens and greenhouses | Coastal Harvest Food Bank, Harvest Now | 25,000 ft2 of gardens, donated ~17,000 lbs. of produce to food banks |
Lifer Garden | Coastal Harvest Food Bank, Harvest Now | 5,000 ft2 garden tended by Lifers, growing produce and ornamental flowers |
Food Bank fundraisers | Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Caring for Kids, Toy Time, Bicycles from Heaven, Bears from Behind Bars, Coastal Harvest, Beyond Survival, Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank and Family Services, Making a Difference for Grays Harbor Kids, After School All-Stars | Incarcerated individuals and staff raised and donated ~$20,000 for nonprofits and donated 3,732 food items to Coastal Harvest Food Bank |
Unit Fundraiser | 4 local businesses | $3,694 was donated to the Seattle Children’s Hospital |
Pollinator plantings | Pollinator plants in every garden and next to greenhouses; new garden adjacent to bee hives | |
Flower gardens, boxes, baskets | Flowers gardens throughout the grounds, two more outside the fence | |
Fruit orchard | Outside the fence, planted 15 blueberry bushes and 2 each of cherry, Liberty apple, Chehalis apple, Italian plum, and Orcas pear trees | |
Bird houses | More than 40 bird houses on the grounds | |
Sustainability channel | Institutional TV channel plays compilation of sustainability program photos and facts, environmental and event videos, and event and job announcements; content updated monthly! | |
Large-scale composting | Diverted 89,000 lbs. of food waste to composting | |
Waste sorting & recycling | Diverted 213 tons of metals, cardboard, paper, and plastics to recycling in past year; | |
Water catchment | Water catchment at each living unit (for living unit gardens) and at greenhouse; 3,210 gallons capacity | |
Bicycle Repair | Lions Club | 100 bikes repaired and donated in past year |
Wheelchair Repair | Wheels for the World | 212 wheelchairs repaired in past year; shipments postponed due to COVID-19 |
Dog Training | PAWS | 16 dogs graduated the program in 2023 |
Service dogs for veterans | Brigadoon Service Dogs | 14 dogs trained in the program in 2023 |
Toy Time | Christmas for Kids, Correctional Industries | 50 incarcerated individuals donated 1900 items to Connections in Grays Harbor and partners |
Articles about SCCC
2020
2019
Rolling out wetland plants for the Samish Indian Nation
Aquaponic knowledge, from one program to another
Fly Like An Eagle to the Sea, No More I See
Happy Halloween from Stafford Creek Corrections Center
Peer education created by and for incarcerated gardeners
Origin Story of a Compost Program
What is the goal for tomorrow?
Pathways to Successful Re-Entry
Growing a Gardening Curriculum
2018
Wolves: More like Humans Than You Would Think!
Art of the Oregon silverspot butterfly
Welcoming New Roots of Success Instructors
Caring for the Community with Coastal Harvest
Trying to Find a Balance: The Emergent Vegetated Mats (EVM) Project
Standing in the gap for each other: Environmental wisdom from Roots of Success
Liaisons are our Roots for Success
2017
Turning a new leaf with emergent vegetated mats!
Climate Change Symposium in Prison: Incarcerated people creating solutions
Beekeepers are hard at work at Stafford Creek
Bright colors speak loudly for the hard work being done at Stafford Creek!
What do the students get from SPP lectures? Part Two
The Challenges—and Opportunities—of a New Program
From SPP to Water for the World
What do the students get from SPP lectures? Part One
2016
What is an Aquatic Emergent Pre-Vegetated Mat?
Adding Salt to Popcorn: Gaining a taste for sustainability
Princess Remington and Pele: Royalty in a prison classroom
Just Sustainability and Restorative Justice
Nothing like an octopus in prison!
2015
Roots of Success Graduation Speech
2014
Photo Gallery from Roots of Success Graduation at Stafford Creek Corrections Center
SPP’s New Lecture Series Certification
2013
My First Two Months Working at SPP
2012
CNN Visits Stafford Creek Corrections Center
New Tilapia Program at Stafford Creek Corrections Center
Spring and Cold Moisture Storage at Shotwell’s Landing and Stafford Creek Corrections Center
2011
2010
Inmates Restore Prairie, Make Video to Teach Others
Growing Plants and Potential: Stafford Creek Nursery Project
Earth Day, Sustainable Prisons Project Style
Bird Conservation Project Taking Flight at Stafford Creek Corrections Center
2009
Beekeeping prisoners: Science inside the fence
Green-collar kites: Inmates share their ideas for sustainability