In the District of Columbia we are aware that over 4,600 District residents are incarcerated in 122 Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities around the country and are isolated from their families and loved ones. This makes it particularly difficult for them to successfully maintain supportive relationships and reintegrate into their communities upon their return.
IAHR’S Pen Pal Program is designed to link people from all walks of life to District residents in BOP facilities. We are asking volunteers to sign up to correspond with one imprisoned D.C. resident at least once a month for one year. We will be starting with ten Bureau of Prison facilities, and will expand beyond these to residents in other facilities based on our initial success.

Over 160 men and women in the BOP have already signed up for a pen pal. They are looking for someone who will reach out to them on a regular basis.

As of the middle of January 2018, 90 people from various walks of life have signed up to be a pen pal with someone in prison. IAHR has offered four different orientations.

At this orientation, we will go over guidelines which will be sent to you in advance. We will also give you the name and address of a prisoner to write to. We will address any questions you may have.

We also plan to bring volunteers together periodically to reflect on their experiences and nurture the community of people who have come together to provide support and encouragement to this important segment of our community.

Be part of our effort to be a supportive presence for our incarcerated neighbors by joining this Pen Pal Program. We hope you will find it a rewarding and an enlightening experience.