PRISON BOOK MINISTRY
Overview and History
"When was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?" was a question posed to Jesus in Matthew's Gospel, and it is one all of us can ponder. Our country's incarceration rate is the highest in the world with over 0.7% of the population behind bars. Even though many are justly imprisoned, we can follow Jesus' mandate to care for them and their families.
Since its initiation in 2013, Holy Trinity’s prison book ministry has enriched the lives of Illinois prison inmates by annually distributing thousands of books to
Stateville Correctional Center for Men in Joliet
Fox Valley Adult Transition Center for Women in Aurora
Illinois Youth Center in Warrenville
Hospice program at Dixon Correctional Center
Chicago Books to Women in Prison
Donated books not appropriate for the incarcerated and more useful for students were sent to Books for Africa and books addressing theology and ministry were sent to the Theological Book Network for distribution to seminary libraries overseas.
In order to increase awareness of criminal justice issues and of our Prison Book Ministry, Holy Trinity has in some years sponsored an informational booth at the Printers' Row Lit Fest held near HTLoop.
In recent years the Prison Ministry has been expanded beyond distributing books to supplying toiletries, used clothing, art supplies, and notebooks for journaling for the women residents at the Fox Valley Adult Transition Center, as well as hand-knitted lap blankets for the men’s hospice at Dixon. This part of the program continued during the pandemic.
Please explore this page for several ways to help in the future.
How Can I Help?
Participate in Holy Trinity's Prison Book Ministry in these ways:
Donate used books directly to the organizations listed below, paying careful attention to the guidelines for each. Holy Trinity is no longer able to send books directly, as we had in the past.
Donate to the fund to supply notebooks for reflective journaling and art supplies for Fox Valley Adult Transition Center for Women in Aurora. While these supplies are an important part of the rehabilitation program, the State does not cover their cost.
Donate good-condition women's clothing, shoes, purses, coats, etc., for use by Fox Valley women entering the labor market. Please deposit in the basket marked "Fox Valley" in the HT Lakeview narthex or give to worship staff at HTLoop. (NOTE: If you donate clothing, please know that you can get a gift-in-kind letter from the church office for income tax purposes.)
Volunteer with and/or donate to the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Storybook Project, in which volunteers help those incarcerated record themselves reading books to their children—with both books and recordings then mailed to the families.
Volunteer with and/or donate to WIND, Women Initiating New Directions, which offers a number of free courses to women currently incarcerated or recently released.
See RESOURCES -> to continue educating ourselves about mass incarceration.
Places to donate books
Chicago Books to Women in Prison (Types of books needed)
Arrange delivery on the website for posted hours on Saturday or Sunday at 4511 N Hermitage Ave, in Ravenswood. Ring the organization’s doorbell at the top left of the door frame.
3529 Patterson Ave. Grand Rapids, MI 49512