Women’s Prison Book Project sends more than 20,000 books every year to between 3,000-4,000 readers incarcerated across the country.
140
Every week, we send books to about 140 women, trans, and gender expansive people who are incarcerated.
600+
Our work is powered entirely by our 600+ volunteers who support our weekly mailings, host book drives, and more!
$5.33
Postage is our biggest expense. The average cost of postage is $5.33 per package.
The work we do makes a difference in the lives of people who are incarcerated across the country—from Texas to Minnesota to Virginia and beyond! We often receive letters from readers about the impact that WPBP and the books they received have made in their lives.
Read below what people incarcerated have shared with us directly.
“Thanks for all you do, for doing this book project which shows we are not forgotten and people still care. I decided to write this note to all of you guys that make WPBP possible, to let you know that I am thankful to you all. What you are doing is so inspiring, intelligent, and remarkably good. You have no idea the purpose that you are bringing to a woman in her life. I certainly believe that this might be the whole purpose in life… to help people find theirs.”
“My dear friends, I write to you again to give you thanks and to let you all know how amazing every single one of you are! The last time I wrote to WPBP, I requested books on the topic of transgender men, and I must say, the books you sent me were perfect! So perfect that I was able to share my books with other trans men here with me and we all were able to enjoy and learn from the point of view of another going on the same journey as us. Also I am donating the books to the library so others will be able to read them also. So, just so you know, one book can reach many others!”
“Thank you all for everything you do! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be able to open a book and disappear into its pages when you’re locked inside a shipping container all day. (Yes, our dorms are made of repurposed shipping containers!) We have just recently come off lockdown, and I’m all out of books to read. I’d be very grateful if you could send me some more.”
“I am so appreciative of the services you offer. In prison especially, it is very exciting to get any kind of contact with the free world…We are all grateful for your project. There are 3-6 of us in my dorm that receive your books and we read them then share them between each other. Just in case nobody else has told you—you are amazing and the work you do touches, improves and educates many inmates.”
“Thank you so much for the books you sent me! They were absolutely delightful that I had to read them multiple times and the tattoo coloring book has given me many drawing ideas I can’t wait to put on paper! I have passed along the books I received to others so they may enjoy them as well and continue to give others your information so they can write and request their own books!”
IN COMMUNITY
We believe building community is essential for dismantling the conditions on which the prison industrial complex is built upon in the first place. Providing opportunities to connect, learn, and collaborate with other people, groups, and organizations is a small but important part of our work. Take a look!
wpbp.org 