Prison Book Project: Empowering Lives Through Literature
At Prison Book Project, our mission is to provide incarcerated individuals with access to transformative literature, fostering hope, personal growth, and spiritual enrichment. We are a registered non-profit corporation in the State of Florida, driven by the dedication of our diverse board of directors and a passionate community of volunteers.
A New Chapter: Our New Home
As of December 10, 2021, we are thrilled to announce that Prison Book Project has a permanent home under one roof. After years of operating in two separate facilities across the street from each other, we now enjoy the efficiency and convenience of our new 4,500 square-foot building. This unified space has significantly enhanced our operations, allowing us to streamline our book distribution process and better serve our mission.
Growing to Serve You Better
Since moving into our new facility, we have experienced remarkable growth. We now handle a greater volume of book shipments annually and have welcomed a surge of dedicated volunteers. Our expanded space includes modern office areas, multiple computer stations, and ample work tables for book processing. With more efficient shelving and storage solutions, we can manage a larger inventory and fulfill requests more swiftly.
Partnerships and Operations
We are proud to collaborate with a variety of Christian publishers and authors who generously contribute new, returned, damaged, and overstocked materials. These donations, sometimes accompanied by shipping costs, enable us to build diverse and valuable collections for chapel libraries and book carts in prisons and jails. By mixing these materials, we ensure that each facility receives a well-rounded assortment of resources.
Our approach prioritizes efficiency and impact. While we can only send 12 individual packages for the cost of one box with 65 books, our strategy is to focus on chaplains and facility-wide shipments. Research shows that books in shared environments, such as chapel libraries, reach an average of 30 readers compared to the fewer individuals who receive personal packages.
Supporting Chaplains and Facilities
To support new facilities, we directly contact each facility by phone to help us tailor their shipments to their specific needs. This information allows us to provide books that match the diversity and interests of the inmate population. We aim to send shipments to each facility quarterly, with a goal of eventually increasing this to twice a year.
Heartfelt Connections
We deeply value the letters of encouragement we receive from incarcerated individuals. These heartfelt messages inspire us and are shared with our book providers to demonstrate the impact of their contributions. Every story of transformation and gratitude reaffirms our commitment to this vital work. It is our hope that many find a path to spiritual growth through our efforts.
Thank you for supporting Prison Book Project. Together, we are making a profound difference in the lives of those who need it most.