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BECOME A PENPAL WITH SOMEONE WHO IS INCARCERATED - USPS ONLY Option; PERMITS USING AN "ALIAS"

Food for Children, Inc. has established a program to provide PenPals to those who are in prison. Our mission is to share normal conversation, stories, and true friendship with those who are incarcerated; and to give them a connection to society beyond prison walls. To volunteer, you must be at least 18 years old. We also work to provide food, clothing, education and other assistance to the poor especially in developing nations.

WHAT IS NEEDED AND WHY: This is a PenPal correspondence opportunity using the regular USPS hard-copy mail option ONLY. Volunteer as a PenPal Correspondent with someone who is incarcerated. Make a huge difference in his/her life. You will enrich your life as well. This USPS hard-copy mail-only option permits you to use an ALIAS.

HISTORYOF THE PENPAL PROGRAM - Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry was co-founded by Harold Jeff Morrison, an inmate of the Texas Correctional System, in partnership with Delilah Finkley Acquaah and Richard Holley, and with the assistance of Food For Children Inc. (a not-for-profit hunger relief organization located in New York City). Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry is open to all prisoners and welcomes PenPal volunteers from every walk of life who want to make a difference. Please consider devoting a few minutes, whenever possible, to correspond with someone who is in prison via the USPS. Prisoners lose hope because their connections with family and friends are often broken. Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry is a community of caring people who believe in second chances.

Type of help: WHERE: Volunteering is done from the comfort of your own home at your own pace. METHOD: To use the USPS-ONLY mail option, you can select an Inmate, write a hard-copy letter and send it on to the Inmate at his prison via the US Postal Service. WHEN USING THIS USPS-ONLY METHOD, YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE TO USE AN ALIAS, instead of using your real name, if this option is more comfortable for you. Please let the Ministry know what ALIAS you will use, and provide your email address to us, so that once a letter comes in to the Ministry addressed to you, we can scan it and forward it on to you via your email and using your name or ALIAS.

Languages spoken: ENGLISH

What else ...: RETURN ADDRESS: On your hand-written letter to the Inmate, AS YOUR RETURN ADDRESS THAT YOU INCLUDE AT THE TOP OF EACH LETTER TO THE INMATE, PLEASE USE: Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry c/o Food For Children, Inc. 70-22 165th Street Flushing, NY 11365 ATTN: (Place Your First Name or ALIAS Here) Once I receive the Inmate’s reply to your hand-written letter sent in to the Ministry address, I will open it, scan it, and forward it on to you via your email address. The same process will repeat going forward. IMPORTANT: Should you decide to correspond with one or more of these Inmate(s), please ltell us so that we may update the spreadsheet. This helps me keep track of those Inmates who are still without a PenPal Volunteer. Thank you.

How many travelers can volunteer?: Ask Food For Children, Inc. or When writing letters to an Inmate, please include our return address at the top of your letter: Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry, c/o Food For Children, Inc. 70-22 165th Street, Flushing, NY 11365, ATTN: (YOUR NAME or ALIAS). If interested in volunteering, please email Richard Holley at rholley58@aol.com to begin. In the email Subject Line, please include: Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry - USPS ONLY OPTION. * https://www.foodforchildren.org/

Accommodation suggestions: REQUIREMENTS: • To volunteer, you must be at least 18 years old. • Our MISSION is to share normal conversation, stories, and true friendship with those who are incarcerated; to give them a connection to society beyond prison walls. • When writing letters to an Inmate, please include our return address at the top of your letter: Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry, c/o Food For Children, Inc. 70-22 165th Street, Flushing, NY 11365, ATTN: (YOUR NAME or ALIAS). • If interested in volunteering, please email Richard Holley at rholley58@aol.com to begin. In the email Subject Line, please include: Jeff’s Second Family PenPal Ministry - USPS ONLY OPTION. • Once you decide to volunteer, we will scan and email you one or more letters from Inmates requesting a PenPal via UPSP-ONLY. If you accept one of these Inmates as your PenPal, we will provide you with the Inmate’s information necessary to begin your correspondence. • When you write your first letter to your Inmate PenPal, it could be just a quick "hello" or perhaps respond to something mentioned in their INTRO letter. • Never include your personal email address, phone number, or physical mailing address when sending letters to the Inmate. Use the Ministry's Return Mailing Address described above. • Your relationship with your Inmate PenPal should be based upon mutual respectfulness and will evolve naturally over time as you become more comfortable with each other. The main goal is for your Inmate PenPal to know that he or she is not forgotten by all society beyond their prison walls. • YOU CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE. THANK YOU!!

Hours expected: We'll work with your schedule. Weekdays - Daytime and Evening Weekend - Daytime and Evening

Availability: SKILLS: • People Skills • Relationship Building • Verbal / Written Communication

Wish List: REQUIREMENTS: • Must be at least 18 • Just the amount of time to read a letter from an Inmate and answer it back via the USPS mail service. PRIVATE GROUP DETAILS: • Group Size Range 1 - 50+ • Event can be held virtually • No Donation

How would you like to volunteer?:

Virtual (you can do it from a computer, home or anywhere)

In Person (you'll go to a physical location)

Cause Category:

Arts & Culture

Emergency & Saftey

Immigrants & Refugees

Seniors

Sports & Recreation

Faith Based

Computers & Technology

Justice & Legal

Advocacy & Human Rights

Animals & Wild Life

Children & Youth

Families

Women

Hunger

Health & Medicine

Politics

Community

International

Disaster Relief

Homeless & Housing

LGBTQ+

Veterans & Military Family

Race & Ethnicity

Environment

People with Disabilities

Crisis Support

Education & Life Skills

Length of Time :

Short-Term ( one time or less than a month)

Long Term ( 30 days or more)

Region:

USA

Canada

Caribbean

Central America

Middle East

South America

Africa

India

Europe

Asia

Australia

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PENPAL WITH AN INMATE (VOLUNTEER ALIAS is Okay)- USPS ONLY Option

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