WES Joins the AHA in an Inmate Pen Pal Program

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The American Humanist Association is currently seeking humanists to participate in our pen pal program, a facet of AHA’s “Humanism For All” prison outreach. We recognize how contact with the outside world stimulates a positive, healthy, and hopeful attitude for those incarcerated. Research from inmate feedback has shown that having a pen pal helps combat feelings of isolation, encourage positive changes to self-identity, boost happiness, increase hopes for life beyond prison, and increase chances of successful reintegration. The purpose of this program is to connect humanist (or humanist curious) inmates to like-minded volunteer pen pals, and to foster positive relationships and healthy correspondence to promote humanist values.

 

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The American Humanist Association is currently seeking humanists interested in participating in a facet of our prison outreach: our humanist pen pal program. If you are interested in the program, please contact Sincere Kirabo at skirabo@americanhumanist.org .

We recognize how contact with the outside world fosters a positive, healthy, and hopeful attitude for those incarcerated. Research from inmate feedback has shown that having a pen pal helps combat feelings of isolation, encourage positive changes to self-identity, boost happiness, increase hopes for life beyond prison, and increase chances of successful reintegration.

All inmates are instructed to treat pen pal volunteers with the courtesy and respect they believe their pen pals would wish shown towards them. We have two options: either correspond with the inmate directly, or send/receive correspondence through us.

If you/folks decide to send/receive mail from the inmate directly, we will provide you with the humanist inmate contact info and then you (those who will engage in letter-writing) decide which inmate(s) they prefer to write. Please update Sincere Kirabo at skirabo@americanhumanist.org regarding which inmate(s) are selected so he can keep track.
If you decide to send/receive mail through AHA facilitation (which the AHA recommends), here’s how the process works:

(1) We provide the humanist inmate contact info. Those wishing to volunteer as a pen pall decide which inmate(s) you prefer to write.

(2) Pen pal types/writes an intro letter to the humanist inmate(s). You can either email AHA a typed response in an attached word document or mail AHA the letter. They would prefer typed responses. The AHA will then send that letter to your humanist inmate pen pal(s).

(3) Once we receive a response from the humanist inmate, we’ll scan and email their response. You will write a reply, and we’d continue the process this way.
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Pen Pal Program Volunteer Guidelines
The purpose of this program is to connect humanist (or humanist curious) inmates to likeminded volunteer pen pals, and to foster positive relationships and healthy correspondence. The guidelines, listed below, are for volunteer pen pals.

  1. General suggestions for writing. Limit the amount of personal details you share. A good topic to start with is your relationship with religion. Share how you were raised, how you came to be a humanist, what books you like, etc. Keep the conversation intellectual and focused on ideas about the world, news, books, culture, etc.
  1. Be positive, and don’t make assumptions. Remember that not everyone in prison is guilty. You are not saving someone, and the person might not necessarily be miserable or unhappy. Wait for your pen pal to open up to you. Asking questions is okay, but don’t push. Be honest and firm about your boundaries and intentions with your pen pal.
  1. Don’t get too close. We provide guidelines to inmates that this is NOT a dating service and that they are NOT to ask their pen pals for money or send money. The purpose of the program is to provide friendship, intellectual exchange, and an educational opportunity.
  1. Please only include your letter.
  1. Your comfort and safety come first. If, at any point, you would like to stop your pen pal relationship, that is your choice. However, please notify us to let us know. We can find a different pen pal, or simply mark in our records that you decided to stop.
  1. We strongly prefer to send letters for you. You email your letters to us (either attached as a Word document or in the body of the email) and we will send them to your pen pal for you. Please make sure inmates send their reply to our address listed here, with attention to your name. (If you want you can keep on a first name basis.)