South Florida kids with incarcerated family find comfort on the basketball court

Children from across South Florida packed the gym of a Little Havana school on Saturday. For many, it was their first time meeting, but they each shared a similar family story: They have all lived apart from an incarcerated parent or loved one.

The gathering was hosted by Prison Fellowship Angel Tree, a Christian nonprofit that supports families affected by incarceration. Saturday’s basketball clinic at SLAM! — the charity’s first event in Miami — featured coaches leading drills and games for more than 120 children. The organization chose Miami because of the high concentration of “Angel Tree kids” in the region.

“In the Miami Metro, we have approximately 3,000 children that have a parent who is in prison,” said Karen Lopez, the organization’s senior director of Church Partnerships. The event was held in partnership with Miami’s Vous Church, whose volunteers filled the gym in matching blue shirts.

The kids who attended on Saturday were first met with a pair of free Nike shoes ordered by Angel Tree, which relies solely on donations.

“When he got up this morning, he was like, ‘Mommy, Mommy, don’t forget, we gotta go to the sports event,’” said Felicia Howard of her 7-year-old son.

Howard’s family became involved after her son’s father signed him up while serving a six-year sentence.

Nikki Mattison, 41, grew up as an Angel Tree kid herself. Both of her parents were incarcerated for much of her life, leaving her to be raised by her maternal grandparents in California. When she was about six years old, her father signed her up to receive Angel Tree gifts on his behalf.

Naturally, she didn’t have a strong relationship with him then, but those gifts meant everything. Getting presents each Christmas, she said, was “like a lifeline” to her father.

“I felt as if he thought about me. He loved me. He still was present, even though he was removed from the home,” Mattison said.

At 26, Mattison began attending church regularly and felt called to pursue prison ministry full-time. She now serves as Angel Tree’s events manager. She says the goal of Saturday’s clinic is “to share hope and encouragement and be a light in the midst of some chaotic darkness that some of these families may be experiencing,” something she understands intimately.

Today, she has repaired her relationship with both parents, who now live with her and help raise her children.

“I get to see my mom love on my daughter like I’ve never got to see as a little girl,” she said. “I get to see my dad cheer at my boys’ baseball games, and he was never at any of our sporting events growing up.”

Former professional basketball player Brandon Johnson, 39, also draws on lived experience in his work with Angel Tree. His mother was incarcerated when he was in the third grade. He did time, too.

“My life has just come full circle where my mom was incarcerated, and then I went to prison, and so I’ve been on both sides of this experience,” said Johnson, who spent six months in federal prison for conspiring to commit sports bribery while playing at the University of San Diego.

Johnson said watching the kids at Angel Tree events gives him “a warm feeling,” emphasizing how meaningful even a brief moment of joy can be. “For these two hours these babies get to remove all the stress, all the thought.”

He shared his story with the kids, hoping to inspire them. Many eagerly raised their hands when he asked about their dreams — some hoped to become professional athletes, while others wanted to be doctors or marine biologists.

For Tifany Simmons, the event offered a rare moment of connection for her children, who have long navigated the challenges of having an incarcerated loved one. Their involvement with Angel Tree began because of their close relationship with their uncle.

“He was the prominent man in their life, and when he got sentenced and sent away, this program allows them to stay together and network,” Simmons said.

Angel Tree says Saturday’s event is just one of their efforts to support families affected by incarceration.

“Most of these kids are going to have amazing lives if they understand that adversity comes with blessings,” Johnson said.