For nearly a decade, Interfaith Action for Human Rights has invited people to correspond with someone in prison. Rabbi Charles Feinberg says volunteers can choose their pen pal.
“We have many, many letters requesting a pen pal, and in those letters they often share a bit about themselves," he explains. "I send out four or five letters to different volunteers and ask them to pick someone who interests them.”
The mail goes through Feinberg’s office, so correspondents don’t share their home address. So far, he says, about a hundred people have signed up, and – in learning about life behind bars – some become advocates for reform.
“Conditions within state prisons can often be brutal. There is violence in the prisons, a lack of medical care, the quality of food, all these kinds of things they learn about by writing to people on the inside.”
And for those who find the idea of a letter daunting, Feinberg says, there’s a shorter, high-tech option thru a partner organization called Flikshop.
“You can send a text message to Flickshop. They’ll print it on a postcard. You can also send them a photo, and they’ll print that on a postcard, and the next day they’ll send it out to your pen pal.”
Interfaith Action for Human Rights will host an orientation for new pen pals on Zoom, May 11th at 7:30. To register, go to Pen Pal Program - Interfaith Action for Human Rights
