“I loved going to the book club, I didn’t have to be tough and aggressive, I could just be me…that helped me to embrace who I am and accept it.”
—Jonas, Age 23
Interested in becoming a Free Minds member?
Free Minds primarily serves:
- Washington, DC youth who were charged and sentenced as adults while under 18
- Emerging adults (ages 18-25) from Washington, DC
- Individuals who are eligible for the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act*
- Individuals who previously participated in any Free Minds programming at the DC Jail, juvenile detention center, or in reentry
*What is the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA)? The IRAA is a DC law that allows individuals who were under 25 at the time of the offense to petition the court for resentencing after serving 15 years or more. As a DC law, this only applies to individuals sentenced in DC Superior Court.
For questions about eligibility or enrolling in Free Minds, please contact us. Please note that enrollment is not guaranteed and may depend on current capacity or other factors.
If you or your loved one are not eligible for membership, feel free to explore other resources compiled below.
These programs are not affiliated with Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop in any way.
Books Through Bars: PA, NY, NJ, DE, MD, and VA
Please request by topic (not exact title or author), and provide several areas of interest if possible. Please be patient. We get so many requests that it may take a while to receive the books. Please wait a few months after receiving books before requesting again.
Address: 4722 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143, United States
Phone: (215) 727-8170
Email: info@booksthroughbars.org
info@booksthroughbarsnyc.org (New York chapter)
Prisoner Express (books, pen pal, art program): Nationwide
Prisoners can specify the types of books they are interested and we fulfill these requests to the best of our ability.
Address: Durland Alternatives Library - Prisoner Express, PO Box #6556, Ithaca, NY 14851
Phone: (607) 255-6486
Prison Books Collective: NC, AL, DE, KY, MD, TN, VA, and WV
The Prison Books Collective is a Carrboro, NC-based group that sends hundreds of books to prisoners in North Carolina and Alabama each month. The Prison Books Collective also serves adults incarcerated in federal prisons in DE, KY, MD, TN, VA, and WV.
Address: Prison Books Collective: Publishing and Distribution, PO Box 625, Carrboro, NC 27510
E-mail Address: prisonbooks@gmail.com
Open Books: Florida only
The Prison Book Project sends thousands of books each year to indigent inmates in Florida prisons, the largest prison system in the country and one sorely lacking basic books. Prisoners simply have to send us a letter and we send them books.
Address: 1040 N Guillemard St., Pensacola, FL 32501
Phone: (850) 453-6774
Women's Prison Book Project (Women and Transgender persons only): Nationwide
Since 1994, the Women’s Prison Book Project (WPBP) has provided women and transgender persons in prison with free reading materials covering a wide range of topics from law and education (dictionaries, GED, etc.) to fiction, politics, history, and women’s health.
Address: Women's Prison Book Project
3501 Aldrich Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55408
E-mail Address: womensprisonbookproject@gmail.com
DC Books to Prisons
Sends donated reading material to prisoners and educates the public about issues surrounding prisoner education and literacy. Instructions: Request reading material by mail. Please request by prioritized subject and list prison restrictions if known. DC Books to Prisons responds to state and federal prisoners in 32 states, and federal prisons in Arizona and South Carolina. Currently they do not serve those incarcerated in CT, FL, KS, IL, MA, ME, MI, MO, NH, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, VT, WA, or WI. Please wait 5 months between requests.
Address: DC Books to Prisons, PO Box 34190, Washington, DC 20043-4190
E-mail Address: btopdc@gmail.com
Prison Library Project: Nationwide
The nonprofit, which is mostly staffed by volunteers, mails more than 30,000 books, magazines, and audio tapes each year to libraries and inmates in 600 prisons, jails, and detention centers throughout the United States.
Address: 915-C W. Foothill Blvd, PMB 128 Claremont, CA 91711
Phone: (909) 626-3066
E-mail Address: info@claremontforum.org
Inside Books Project: Texas
Based in central Austin, the Inside Books Project (IBP) is an all volunteer, non-profit organization sending free books and educational materials to people in prison in the state of Texas.
Address: Inside Books Project
3106 E. 14 1/2 Street
Austin, Texas 78702
insidebooksproject@gmail.com
Prisoners Literature Project: Nationwide
The Prisoners Literature Project is an all-volunteer, non-profit group that sends free books directly to prisoners who request them from throughout the United States. PLP does not send books to Texas.
Address: Prisoners Literature Project, c/o Bound Together Books, 1369 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Tranzmission Prison Books (LGBTQI): Nationwide
Tranzmission Prison Project is an organization based out of Asheville, North Carolina that sends books and resources to LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) prisoners nationwide.
Address:
PO Box 1874
Asheville, NC 28802
E-mail: tranzmissionprisonproject@gmail.com
Instagram: Tranzmission Prison Project
Noname Book Club: Prison Chapters
Noname Book Club is for the liberation of all oppressed people. We understand the Prison Industrial Complex is a system working tirelessly to disappear members of our community. It is very important for us to counteract the violence of the carceral state by staying in contact with folks on the inside. Each month we send 2 books to members of our prison chapters. Typically our book club picks are radical with themes around liberation, decolonization, and revolution. Books of this nature are seen as a threat to prison safety and are unfortunately banned from most facilities. Because of this censorship we’ve come up with a curated book list that we know should have no issues getting into most prisons. It allows us to still materially support comrades on the inside but it doesn’t fully allow them to be a part of the larger conversations our outside members are having about the booklist we’re reading. If you are interested in building connections with some of our incarcerated book club members about the books they are specifically reading. None of us are free until we’re all free.
Click here for the online form to send books to your incarcerated loved ones.
Books to Prisons: TX and AL
Person-to-person fulfillment of requests for books. Provides personal responses and books to cultivate minds and spirits beyond prison walls and affirming to the incarcerated that they still have a stake in the world. Serving Texas and Alabama.
Address: P.O. Box 130699
Birmingham, AL 35213
givebookstoprisons@gmail.com
205-871-4695
Appalachian Prison Book Project: WV, VA, TN, KY, OH, MD
Began in 2004. Since then, APBP has mailed over 70,000 books under their mission that education is a basic human right and everyone should have access to it. Provides books and educational opportunities to incarcerated people along with a prison book club and tuition support for college classes.
Address: APBP
PO Box 601
Morgantown, WV 26507
Books to Prisoners: Nationwide
Encourages the pursuit of knowledge and self-empowerment through reading. Been supporting incarcerated people since 1973 through mailing thousands of free books every year to prisons across the country. Books to Prisoners believes that all prison policies should include access to literature.
Address: Books to Prisoners
c/o Left Bank Books
92 Pike Street, Box A
Seattle, WA 98101
PEN Prison and Justice Writing Program: Nationwide
PEN Prison Writing Program: Operates under a goal of amplifying the voices of incarcerated writers through resources, mentorship, and outside audiences to raise awareness of the societal impacts of mass incarceration. Holds a yearly Prison Writing Awards competition to submit works from any genre and offers an Incarcerated Writers Bureau for journalism writers on the inside.
Address: Prison and Justice Writing Program
ATTN: PEN Prison Writing Awards
120 Broadway
26th Floor North
New York, NY 10271
E-mail address: prisonwriting@pen.org
BleakHouse Publishing
BleakHouse Publishing is an independent press devoted to creative writing, art, and photography on social justice. They regularly feature incarcerated people’s writing in their literary journal, Tacenda. Tacenda Literary Magazine features poetry, short stories, book reviews, and artwork about incarceration and the criminal justice system. They are focused on amplifying the voices of formerly or currently incarcerated individuals. Tacenda Magazine publishes primarily content relating to incarceration, reentry, and the carceral system’s intersection with social justice.
Address: Tacenda Editorial Team
P.O. Box 362
Florence, AL 35631
Email: bleakhousepublishing@gmail.com
Prisoner Express
Prisoner Express creates an opportunity for incarcerated men and women to get information, education and a public forum for creative self-expression. Through our newsletters and programs we step through the isolation and alienation of prison life – our goal is to bring hope and foster a sense of community among the prisoners who participate.
Address:
CTA / Durland Alternatives Library
Prisoner Express
PO Box #6556
Ithaca, NY 14851
Phone: (607)252-6946
Justice Arts Coalition: Nationwide
Justice Arts Coalition (JAC) unites teaching artists, arts advocates, currently and formerly incarcerated artists, and allies, harnessing the transformative power of the arts to reimagine justice.
Address: Justice Arts Coalition
PO Box 11065
Takoma Park, MD 20913
Email Address: info@thejusticeartscoalition.org
California Prison Focus: Nationwide
"Prison Focus" Newsletter, Our newspaper/newsletter, is primarily by prisoners and for prisoners, their friends and families.
Address:
4408 Market Street, Suite A
Oakland, CA 94608
Phone: (510) 836-7222
The Beat Within
The Beat Within’s mission is to provide incarcerated youth with consistent opportunity to share their ideas and life experiences in a safe space that encourages literacy, self-expression, some critical thinking skills, and healthy, supportive relationships with adults and their community.
Address: P.O. Box 34310
San Francisco, CA 94134
The Marshall Project's Life Inside
“Life Inside” is a weekly series of first-person essays from people who live or work in the criminal justice system.
Address: The Marshall Project
C/O Studio CitySpire
ATTN: Life Inside
156 W 56th St.
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10019
Email: lifeinside@themarshallproject.org
Black and Pink: Nationwide
Black & Pink is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners and “free world” allies who support each other. Contact Black & Pink for more information about their pen pal program.
Address:
6223 Maple St #4600
Omaha, NE 68104
Phone: 531-466-3346
Email: members@blackandpink.org
Interfaith Action for Human Rights: DC
D.C. residents who are convicted of a felony serve their sentence in a federal prison. D.C. residents are incarcerated in prisons from California to Florida to upstate New York. D.C. residents in prison often feel very isolated since they are often incarcerated so far from home. To address their isolation, in November 2017, lAHR kicked off a campaign to identify volunteers who will write to at least one D.C. resident in prison once a month for a year. As of March, 2019, over 100 people have volunteered to be pen pals with a person incarcerated in a federal prison. Yet we still have over 50 people in prison who have requested a pen pal, with new requests coming in every week. We need more pen pals on the outside to meet the need on the inside.
Address: P.O. Box 9731
Arlington, VA 22219
Phone: 240-324-9160
Email: info@interfaithactionhr.org
Latin American Youth Center
LAYC provides support services to Latin American youth in DC. Their programs include education, community wellness, social services, workforce investment, art, and advocacy.
Website: www.layc-dc.org
Alliance of Concerned Men
This organization offers a variety of services, including mentoring for previously incarcerated juveniles, gang outreach, and a family initiative for incarcerated fathers.
Website: allianceofconcernedmen.org
Life Pieces to Masterpieces
LPtM mentors and supports young African American men and boys in Wards 7 and 8 through a variety of apprenticeship programs.
Website: lifepieces.org/
Jubilee Jobs
Jubilee Jobs provides job preparation, placement, and support for returning citizens who are ready to work.
Website: www.jubileejobs.org
Address: 2712 Ontario Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20019
Phone: (202) 667-8970
Alexandria Seaport Foundation
The Alexandria Seaport Foundation offers full-time, paid apprenticeships to young adults (aged 18-22). Through the building of boats, apprentices learn carpentry as well as valuable job skills such as team work, punctuality, and responsibility.
Website: alexandriaseaport.org
Sasha Bruce Youthwork
Sasha Bruce is a youth-specific shelter that offers emergency respite for homeless youth. Sasha Bruce also offers counseling, education, and career preparation.
Website: www.sashabruce.org
Strive DC
Strive DC is dedicated to providing comprehensive workforce preparation for people who face barriers towards employment, including returning citizens. Strive's programs include professional clothing for job interviews, construction careers training, customer service training, and others.
Website: samaritanministry.org/strive
Academy of Hope
An adult education program for adults who need academic skills and training, have limited financial resources, and are interested in earning a high school diploma or increasing their skills to secure living wage jobs.
Website: aohdc.org
The READY Center
The Resources to Empower and Develop You (READY) Center is a one-stop agency where where formerly incarcerated District of Columbia residents can access various resources and services including but not limited to: driver’s license registration, job readiness workshops and employment opportunity, SNAP benefits.
Website: https://doc.dc.gov/service/ready-center
3640 MLK Jr Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20032
Phone: (202) 698-4932
Jubilee Housing
Jubilee Housing works with individuals returning from prison, dealing with poverty or homelessness in accessing affordable housing and community support throughout the DC area. Jubilee Housing owns 10 buildings in the Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mt. Pleasant neighborhoods, including eight multifamily apartment buildings and two homes for returning citizens. They also provide continuing education, financial coaching, career readiness and opportunities to increase savings and build credit.
Website: https://jubileehousing.org/
1631 Euclid St NW, #P-5
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 299-1240
Rapid Rehousing
Rapid Re-Housing is a research-based intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent housing. Rapid Re-Housing assistance and the resources and service provided are tailored to the unique needs of the household.
Rapid Re-Housing Eligibility criteria:
- Applicant must be experiencing homelessness
- Applicant must be a DC Resident
- Applicant must have the financial capacity to pay full rent amount at end of term period
- Applicant must be in full compliance with TANF requirements
Website: https://dhs.dc.gov/page/rapid-rehousing-individuals
Phone: (202) 638-1526
Welcome Home Reentry Housing (Catholic Charities)
Varies locations in DC, Maryland and Virginia. The organization aims to strengthen the lives of all in need by giving help that empowers and hope that lasts. They offer access to food, a warm place to rest, and attention to physical and mental needs, providing food services, health care & mental health services, housing and shelter, job training & employment services, etc.
Address: 924 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 772-4300
Website: https://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org/welcomehome/
The Blair House (transitional housing)
The Blair House, located in Northeast DC, provides temporary housing for men 18 or older struggling with homelessness. The facility provides 24 hour residential monitoring and focuses on substance abuse treatment, educational opportunities, job readiness training, among other services.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Homeless men who are 18 and older
- Reside in the District of Columbia.
- Tuberculosis (TB) test within the last 6 months
- If you are working with an agency/program provide a referral form verifying you are homeless.
- Submit a police clearance no older than 30 days.
- Participate in structured meeting covering areas related to substance abuse, personal hygiene, life skills training (i.e., financial management) and job readiness
Address: 635 I Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-547-1619
Project Empowerment
The Program’s work readiness model is designed to provide nearly 700 unemployed District residents with opportunities to grow in education, training, and subsidized employment placements each year. Project Empowerment achieves its mission of moving participants into the workforce by partnering with government, non-profit, and private businesses across the DMV area to recruit, train, match, and coach candidates for successful employment.
Website: https://does.dc.gov/service/project-empowerment-program
Phone: (202) 698-5599
Address: 4058 Minnesota Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20019
Voices for a Second Chance
VSC offers a wide variety of services to help individuals with reentry which includes: Case Management, Individual and Support Group Counseling, Vital Records: birth certificates, identifications, police clearances, limited time use of address to receive mail, clothing and toiletries. Referrals: housing, employment, education, training, substance abuse, mental health, and voter registration applications.
Website: https://vscdc.org/
Phone: (202) 544-2131
Address: 1422 Massachusetts Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
Community Assisted Reentry Program
The CARP program gives returning citizens the opportunity to be self-sufficient and become contributing members to their families and communities by building and maintaining strong relationships with their clients in order to advocate for their social and economic needs, manage individual cases and provide strategic individual plans with the use of a formalized referral process to service providers, and offers weekly support groups and training to help you develop and live independently. They provide on-call transportation between the hours of 10am-3pm.
Website: https://dccarp.com/
Phone: 202-290-1038
Address: 3115 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE, Washington, DC 20032