FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

PRIDE Inmates Increase Production of Much-Needed Supplies

Florida inmates enrolled in employment training step up production to meet the needs of Floridians

AVON PARK, Fla. — AVON PARK, Fla. — As the need for sanitation products increases amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, inmates assigned to an employment training program within the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) have increased the production of cleaners and disinfectants.

The program, operated by the not-for-profit Prison Rehabilitative Industries and Diversified Enterprises Inc. (PRIDE), announced they are currently producing an additional 600 gallons of hand wash and approximately 5,000 additional gallons of germicidal products per day above their normal production rates. The hand wash contains 62% ethyl alcohol, slightly above CDC minimum guidelines, and the germicidal products or “germ concentrates” contain chemicals proven through lab testing to treat viruses on all hard surfaces.

As retailers have had to limit purchase quantities or have run completely out of stock, PRIDE is committed to maintaining this increased rate of production to meet the needs of both longstanding and new customers. PRIDE’s Sanitary Maintenance and Supply (SM&S) factory, located at Avon Park Correctional Institution currently serves a broad array of customers ranging from hospitals, nursing homes and food establishments to industrial sites and correctional institutions.

Although the SM&S factory is experiencing a high volume of incoming orders and expects the additional production capacity to be quickly absorbed by increased demand from Florida customers, their efforts are part of a nationwide push to use innovative strategies during a time of limited resources and disruption to normal supply chains.

FDC’s long-standing partnership with PRIDE provides vocational training to inmates through more than 35 job training programs across 20 correctional institutions in Florida. In addition to providing inmates an opportunity to engage in meaningful and productive activities while incarcerated, the programs offer hundreds of certifications which assist inmates in obtaining gainful employment after their release.

For more information about PRIDE or to order supplies, visit pride-enterprises.org.

For more information related to FDC’s response to COVID-19, visit our Newsroom at fdc.myflorida.com