by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
Graterfriends, a publication of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, tells the story of Jason Garber, who was trying to maintain communication with an incarcerated friend. Emails would be easy. But, prisoners have no computers.
Then Jason had a brainstorm. With the help of family and friends, he started Prisonmail.org, which converts emails into letters and sends them to prisoners.
Software gathers up the electronic messages and prints them chronologically, up to eight pages each week so that prisoners receive letters.
Prisonmail makes it easy for people to write and helps children communicate with parents.
One recipient recently said, “You can’t possibly know how powerfully that (mail) encourages me and others like me … and see that 5 or 10 people were thinking of me.”
Garber hopes that those interested in becoming Pen Pals will take advantage of this tool that helps prisoners stay connected to the outside world. To learn about being a Pen Pal, call Phyllis Taylor at the Pennsylvania Prison Society.
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