October continues to bring challenges to those residing at Camp.  Some facilities are on limited schedules for visitation as well as reduced hours outside of quarters.  This situation makes it all the more important to engage people in healthy activities for their mind and body.  In this vein The WCC Handbook has ramped up book deliveries to individuals as well as Prison Library Programs.   At the same time,  work continues with clients who are preparing for the journey to a BOP facility.

9/2020  Preparing White Collar Advice client for Victorville Camp while she submits her Compassionate Release request.  Coaching her on realistically going to Camp and organizing life for being removed from her family for a prolonged period of time.

9/22/2020  Sent three new special request books to a woman at FMC Lexington concerning dealing with her abandonment issues as a result of being incarcerated.

10/4/2020  Sent two new special request books to a woman at Lexington Camp who is preparing to depart Camp in November and wants to continue her path of healing and use the coping skills she has used at Camp to keep good habits.  Already having lost 30 lbs she wants to be consistent in her exercise regimen.

10/6/2020  Sent five new dictionaries to NYC Books Thru Bars in response to their twitter campaign (@BtBsNYC) to fill dictionary requests.

“We mail book packages to individuals rather than prison libraries. Our book collection is donated by members of the community. Because we manage to get by in donated space, with donated books, donated packing materials, and volunteer labor, our only expense is postage. To meet this much needed expense, we hold fundraisers and look for other opportunities for receiving funds.”  –  booksthroughbarsnyc.org

10/7/2020  Sent two new special request books to a woman at FMC Lexington Camp who is going through a divorce.  Many men and women go through divorces while incarcerated due to unfaithful/unsupportive partners.  It’s not only emotionally debilitating but challenging to handle the legal process from Camp.

10/20/2020  Sent two new special request books to a client of White Collar Advice at FMC Lexington Camp.

10/20/2020  Sent four new dictionaries and one special request book to Appalachian Prison Book Project from their wish list.

“By mailing books, creating prison book clubs, and providing tuition support for incarcerated people taking college classes, APBP celebrates creative expression and defends the liberties that make it possible; champions the freedom to read and write, recognizes the power of literature to transform individuals and societies; and supports educational, vocational, and personal development for people who are locked up.” – appalachianprisonbookproject.org

10/21/2020  Sent eighteen new books to Prison Book Program in Quincy, MA from their special request list.

“Prison Book Program is a grassroots organization that exists for one purpose—to send free books to prisoners. We’ve been doing it since 1972.

Books are crucial to the political, spiritual, and educational development of all people. Most prisons do not allow family and friends to send books into prisons. They must come from a bookstore, publisher, online retailer or a program like ours. We serve over 10,000 prisoners each year. ”  – prisonbookprogram.org

In addition to the aforementioned books sent to support incarcerated individuals, The WCC Handbook sends weekly magazine packets as well as daily devotionals to those White Collar Advice clients that have requested such materials.  The WCC Handbook also supports frequent requests for google searches/internet requests from Corrlinks contacts as access is prohibited at Camp.

“I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.”

― Ronald Reagan