Things to Give
New or used softcover bibles
Cards for use by inmates (Birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Christmas)
Thank you cards for use by the Chaplain
Gifts for Angel Tree
Gently used clothing for the trip home or job interviews
Books for children regarding parental incarceration
Toys and educational materials for prison visiting rooms
Christmas stockings for transitional houses
Towels, linens, hygiene kits, alarm clocks for halfway houses
Subscriptions to Guideposts and Upper Rooms for the Chaplains
Socks or underwear for re-entrants
Business-like tote or portfolio for job interviews
Pocket or wall calendar for re-entrants
Personal computer and printer
Coupons or gift cards for families
Prepaid cell phone
Volunteer recognition items
Work boots for someone starting a new job
A wallet and few new bills
Dog treats for canine programs inside the fence
Disciple Bible Study materials for the Chaplains
Stationary and stamps to children so they can write to their parents
School supplies
Gift cards to chain stores for re-entrants to use to set up households
Gift certificates for clothing, tools, household items
Subway or bus tokens or farecards for re-entrants
Long distance telephone calling cards
Phone cards to families
If You can Travel
Provide transportation to prison for family members
Provide transportation to AA and NA meetings
Drive children to doctor's appointments
Take pictures of the inmate's family to send into prison
Get Involved
"Inside the Fence"
Visit inmates
Start a UMW or UMM unit
Teach parenting classes
Serve as a translator in prison or jail
Volunteer with the Chaplain at a local jail
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Do from Your Home
Pray
Study the 137 scriptural references to imprisonment in the Bible
Send a card to someone who has a loved one in prison
Send the Chaplain a note of encouragement
Call a family member who may be feeling isolated from the community
Bake the love in Kairos cookies
Be a pen pal
Send birthday cards to prisoners
Write sets of cards for Kairos weekends
Write thank you letters to prison ministry volunteers
Political Activism/Advocacy
Write to your legislators about the death penalty
Advocate for drug treatment
Advocate for alternatives to incarceration
Advocate for victim counseling
Advocate for the restoration of families
Advocate for transitional housing
Advocate for family visiting rooms in prisons and jails
Financial Support
Contribute to the toothpaste project
Pay the fines of a re-entrant
Assist with medical expenses
Sponsor a child to All God's Children Camp
Financially support a Kairos team member
Support Girl Scouts Behind Bars
Offer scholarship for job-related training, such as basic computer skills or cosmetology
Offer scholarship to church's daycare for children of released inmates
Offer scholarships for children
Donate to Chaplaincy Service of Virginia
Donate to Good News Jail and Prison Ministry
Support professional development and in-service training for Chaplains
For the Children
Tutor or mentor a child
Become a foster parent
Help keep a child's school and health records current
Provide children with incentives for doing well in school
Encourage children to tell their life stories
Wrap gifts for Angel Tree
Towels, linens, toiletries for All God's Children Camp
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Use Your Access/Skills
Help a re-entrant find a job
Go to the DMV with a re-entrant to help them with documents
Mentor a returnee
Provide low cost or free housing
Provide medical exams
Develop job resumes
Teach someone to read
Help a re-entrant find housing
Hire a returnee
Provide vocational training
Rent out a room in your house to a returnee
Sign to inmates who are deaf or hard of hearing
Provide pro bono dental or medical care
Provide the returnees first pair of eyeglasses
Help a re-entrant develop a business
Fix a re-entrant's hair and give her a manicure and pedicure
Provide on the job training
Throw a baby shower for a grandparent or foster parent
Come to a Kairos Closing
Serve on a prison oversight committee
Fix meals for families
Take care of inmates pet(s)
Develop a website for a prison ministry
Print brochures about CJAMM or local prison and aftercare ministries
Teach financial literacy and budgetting
Provide apprenticeship opportunities
Provide space for AA and NA meetings
Adopt a family
Fill out the paperwork for restoration of voter's rights for an individual
Fix and serve dinner at a transitional house
Help organize an address book of contacts and job leads
Help writing and typing resume
Rent a room in your home
Hire someone in your business
Hire someone to do yard work at home or church
Take adult literacy training and then volunteer with GED class at local jail
Invite a re-entrant to your church for Sunday services
Learn More
Sentencing Project
Bureau of Justice Statistics
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