The Program at a Glance
Letters for Prisoners
This program is a ministry of the Religion Outside The Box community created by Rabbi Brian Mayer.
During the global pandemic of 2020-2021, the impact of isolation became devastatingly clear–
We all experienced more isolation than we ever had before.
We recognize two groups that were particularly hard hit by the isolation of the pandemic:
Our senior citizens and inmates in our prisons.
This program seeks to connect prisoners and seniors so that they might lift up one another through correspondence.
Another indisputable inspiration for this program is the work of James Wilson, an inmate in California’s High Desert State Prison. Along with fellow inmate Donel Poston, they published a book titled “Write Our Wrongs, Letters to Victims, Poems & Short Stories”. This inspirational work enables us to connect with the humanity of those who have made the worst mistakes and are now working towards redemption and restitution.
Who better to help these seekers than our esteemed Grandmothers and Grandfathers?
What We Do
Making A Difference
We connect interested seniors with prescreened inmates who are looking for a meaningful connection, providing pre-addressed, stamped envelopes and stationery to both parties.
If desired, we will serve as an intermediary address for the inmates to use to send their letters to their senior penpals.
We will also provide a copy of the book “Writing Our Wrongs, Letters to Victims, Poems and Short Stories” for the libraries of interested assisted living/retirement facilities.
“I was in prison and you came to visit me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
There are many websites brokering romantic relationships with the incarcerated.
This is not one of those sites.
By applying to become a pen pal you are committing to being kind. If you choose to discontinue writing, please let your pal know that you will not be writing further. Under no circumstances will any exploitive or abusive behavior be tolerated.
Prisoners initiative to compensate victims & support charities. A writing project from prisoners in High Desert State Prison, CA. Inspired by Shaka Senchior’s Writing My Wrongs. This book is a genuine attempt at redemption.