Embry Rucker Community Shelter to Get Quilts Sewn by Inmates

Reston’s Embry Rucker Community Shelter is set to receive later this month quilts made by inmates in a sewing program.

A class member who benefited from the shelter’s services at 11975 Bowman Towne Drive requested that quilts go there, according to Fairfax County.

The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office created the sewing class at the Alternative Incarceration Branch of the Adult Detention Center (10520B Judicial Drive) in July to offer inmates a marketable life skill and help cut back costs. The program kicked off after an investment of $3,600 paid for the sewing machines and equipment.

The Adult Detention Center has an average population of roughly 1,000 inmates, who all wear jumpsuits. The Sheriff’s Office usually spends about $12,000 per year repairing jumpsuits, with an average of 200 jumpsuits sent out every month at a cost of $5 each last year, according to the county. Replacing them is even more expensive at about $15 to $17 each.

Now, inmates repair all of the jumpsuits in-house.

The quilting program emerged to fill their spare time after the inmates consistently finished jumpsuit repairs before the end of each class period. Inmates use donated pieces of fabric to create the quilts.

Photo via Fairfax County