Beaming smiles, tears of joy and the sound of children's laughter were prevalent Saturday at Folsom State Prison.

Or as a prison guard and an inmate identically described it: "Not just another day."

It was Father's Day come early for 36 children and their inmate fathers who participated in the "Get on the Bus" event organized by the North Hollywood-based Center for Restorative Justice Works and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Nonprofit CRJW has been doing "Get on the Bus" events for a dozen years – enabling California children to see their inmate fathers around Father's Day and their incarcerated mothers around Mother's Day – but this is the first year that Folsom State Prison has participated.

Saturday's group of children, most living hundreds of miles away in Southern California communities, made the six-hour bus trip north with their mothers and caregivers, checking through the Folsom Prison gate to spend a few hours with their fathers.

Bus riders clad in purple "Get on the Bus" shirts were led to the main visiting room inside the gray prison walls shortly after 9 a.m. One by one, inmates were cleared and released into the room via a secure door.

From there, intense, wide-ranging emotions were the order of the day.

Inmate DeShan English was overjoyed to see 2-year-old Kemiah, hoisting her over his head. Seconds later, he burst into tears.

"Oh my God. It's just so overwhelming. I miss her so much," he said.

Inmate Tylan Gregory shared some quiet time sitting with wife Nicole and 2-year-old Tyla, whose high energy seemed little sapped even after the trip from Long Beach.

"It's great for me to meet with my family. It needs to happen more often," Gregory said.

Arguably the most emotional moment of the day came when inmate Adrian Muñoz came through the door to see his 10-week-old son, Michael, for the first time. Muñoz's mother, Debora, told her son it was time to "meet your baby" and handed over the bundled-up child.

Tears flowed freely and Michael Muñoz stayed in his father's arms for most of the next hour.

A passing inmate remarked: "Like a gift from heaven."

Throughout the morning, little families broke off into groups, helping their kids at a crafts table, playing board games or laughing as children had their faces painted in clown-like patterns.

Other families were content to chat quietly while soaking up the sunshine in a fenced area outside the visiting room. Family gossip, national events and the progress of the San Francisco Giants were topics of conversation.

CRJW arranged to shoot family portraits, processing the photos immediately for framing.

Pizza was the main course for lunch. Other than the surroundings and prison garb, the scene resembled a parents' day gathering at a local school.

Prison spokesman Lt. Paul Baker said he was pleased with the facility's first effort hosting the event.

"No matter how people might feel about some of the guys in here, I think you have to remember that the kids didn't make those choices," Baker said. "I think it's worth it for these kids and their fathers to have this time."

Folsom is a general population prison and inmate participants in the "Get on the Bus" program typically are in for gang-related offenses, according to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

CRJW works to help families affected by crime and incarceration. The nonprofit center says distance is the primary obstacle that keeps children separated from their incarcerated parents.

"This program exists specifically for children," said CRJW founder Suzanne Jabro. "They are the hidden victims who are suffering, especially in these stressful economic times when families do not have the extra funds to visit.

"We have a responsibility to bring these families together. A child needs to see their reflection in a father's eyes."

From June 4 through June 19, Father's Day, CRJW said more than 1,000 children and their caregivers from throughout California will have traveled to Folsom Prison and five other men's institutions in the state: California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo; the Correctional Training Facility and Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad; California State Prison, Solano, in Vacaville; and San Quentin State Prison.

CDCR said about 200,000 children in California have an incarcerated parent and live with relatives or in foster care.

Besides parental visits and on-site amenities, "Get On The Bus" volunteers also provide free transportation, travel bags and meals.

CRJW is funded by donations from churches, schools, family foundations, grants and other organizations. For more details, call (818) 980-7714 or visit www.crjw.us.

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