In 2023, we received about 12,000 individual requests. Your generosity made it possible to send over 31,000 pounds of books to incarcerated individuals. That's the weight of three adult T.Rexes! All dinosaurs aside, we want to thank all of you for what you have contributed this year.
Thanks to:
The many individual or small-group donors who gave, small amounts or large, to support prison literacy. Special recognition to some of our institutional supporters, The Hull Family Foundation, The Moccasin Lake Foundation, and the Tew Foundation.
The volunteers, who gave over 5675 hours of their lives. Our volunteer organizers and Board, who put in countless hours behind the scenes to ensure we had spare tape when we needed it, our financial books balanced or that the website stayed current.
Our part-time paid staff: Curran, for the first half of 2023, and Liam, who joined us this summer. As well as keeping our workspace running, they trained 88 new volunteers this year.
Our store partners: The Queen Anne Book Company, Phinney Books, Left Bank Books, and Outsider Comics. They participated with us in book drives during Independent Book Store Week in April, and and the first-ever Prison Banned Books Week in October. The rest of the year, they make it convenient for people to buy and donate books on topics our readers request.
Everyone else who gave us books this year. A special mention to Roger and Susan, who are still our largest single source of used books, despite the closure of the warehouse from which they used to rescue books on their way to being recycled.
As 2023 comes to a close, we look forward to meeting the challenges and opportunities of the new year together. Your support turns three dinosaurs' weight in paper into education, entertainment, and encouragement for readers behind bars.
In solidarity,
Books to Prisoners
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