The Phoebus Criminal Justice Initiative is a core fund at Bread & Roses that supports groups organizing to address the root causes of the crises within the criminal legal system. The money for these grants comes from a partnership with the Phoebus Fund family foundation.
2022 Grantees
215 People’s Alliance explores how everyday people can work toward ending mass incarceration by reimagining new systems of public safety. Website
Amistad Law Project is a public interest law center provides legal services for people incarcerated in Pennsylvania’s prisons and organizes to fight mass incarceration. Website
Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration (CADBI) seeks to end life without parole sentences in Pennsylvania by centering people who have been directly impacted by crime and long-term incarceration. Website
Collective Climb is a Black feminist organization empowering BIPOC teenagers in West Philadelphia through campaigns that address the massive uptick in gun violence affecting poor young black and brown bodies. Website
Healing Communities PA trains faith community members to build community organizing skills while acting as a bridge between the faith community, the criminal justice community, and directly impacted people. Website
Human Rights Coalition (HRC) is working to dismantle the prison system by abolishing solitary confinement, shutting down toxic prisons, and fighting for the freedom of their loved ones. Website
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) supports people with criminal records through free legal representation, strategic litigation, community education, research, and legislative advocacy. Website
POWER (Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower and Rebuild) is a cross-faith network of congregations that takes action on issues affecting low- and moderate-income Philadelphians. Website
Prison Health News works to abolish prisons; end HIV, hepatitis C, COVID-19, and other diseases fueled by systemic injustice while building a base of healthcare organizers among people in prison. Website
Reality Speaking provides information on the rulings, bail assignments, and the general activities of Magisterial District Judges. This will allow the public to determine if a judge is performing in a manner that is in alignment with their values.
Why Not Prosper responds to the needs of women in the correctional system and supports women’s re-entry journey from prison to their community. Website
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) empowers young people who are or have been incarcerated in adult jails and prisons through artistic expression, political education, and leadership development. Website
2021 Grantees
Amistad Law Project is a public interest law center provides legal services for people incarcerated in Pennsylvania’s prisons and organizes to fight mass incarceration. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Ardella’s House provides transitional housing for women who are released from prison and advocates for the needs and rights of formerly and currently incarcerated and women. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration (CADBI) seeks to end life without parole sentences in Pennsylvania by centering people who have been directly impacted by crime and long-term incarceration. Website | Facebook
The Empowerment Center USA is led by formerly incarcerated community members and their families. Their Prison Debt Solutions initiative is organizing for policy changes to relieve post-release debt. Website | Facebook
Hearts on a Wire is a collective of transgender and gender non-conforming people building a movement for gender, racial, and economic justice and an end to the policing and mass incarceration of their communities. Website | Facebook
Human Rights Coalition (HRC) is working to dismantle the prison system by abolishing solitary confinement, shutting down toxic prisons, and fighting for the freedom of their loved ones. Website | Facebook
Metropolitan Christian Council of Philadelphia (MCCP) is a faith-based community organization that centers restorative and racial justice to resolve conflict, heal, and make decisions in community. Website | Facebook | Twitter
Outside the Bars supports children who have incarcerated parents through peer and academic support, mentorship, and policy advocacy. Website
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) supports people with criminal records through free legal representation, strategic litigation, community education, research, and legislative advocacy. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Why Not Prosper, Inc. responds to the needs of women in the correctional system and supports women’s re-entry journey from prison to their community. Website | Facebook | Twitter
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) empowers young people who are or have been incarcerated in adult jails and prisons through artistic expression, political education, and leadership development. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2020 Grantees
Amistad Law Project is a group of community organizers including formerly incarcerated people, attorneys, and legal workers fighting to end the carceral state. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
CADBI (Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration) works to end life without parole sentences in Pennsylvania while changing narratives about violence to center the experiences of people impacted by the criminal justice system. Website | Facebook
Fathers and Children Together (FACT) seeks to end the cycle of violence and generational incarceration by transporting children to visit their incarcerated fathers. Facebook
Healing Communities USA is led by formerly incarcerated people who are organizing faith communities to engage in campaigns working to change the criminal legal system. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Human Rights Coalition is an organization led by formerly incarcerated people and their families working toward transparency in the criminal justice system, the end of torture and abuse of prisoners, the end of solitary confinement, and accountability of prison officials. Website | Facebook
Movement of Immigrant Leaders in Pennsylvania (MILPA) is a network of families across Pennsylvania working to build power among immigrant communities to disrupt the current criminal legal system and challenge its treatment of undocumented immigrants. Website | Facebook
The Philadelphia Community Bail Fund is a grassroots, community-led bail fund whose mission is to end cash bail and pretrial detention and post bail for Philadelphians who cannot afford it. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) seeks a more equitable social environment for those with criminal records through individual representation, strategic litigation, community education, research, and legislative advocacy. Website | Facebook | Twitter
Sisters Returning Home provides services for women returning to society after incarceration and works with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and other housing facilities to establish policies that are fair and give appropriate consideration to gender. Website | Facebook
Why Not Prosper is led by formerly incarcerated women who support women returning from prison. Through their Women’s Advocacy Program, they are currently working on access to healthcare. Website | Facebook | Twitter
Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project (YASP) empowers young people who are or have been incarcerated in adult jails and prisons through a combination of artistic expression, political education, and leadership development. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project (YSRP) provides legal support for youth facing charges in adult court as well as individuals who were sentenced to life in prison when they were children and are eligible for resentencing due to a recent court ruling. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2019 Grantees
Address This!, a volunteer-run project of Books Through Bars, provides innovative social justice educational courses via correspondence with individuals currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania. Website
Amistad Law Project is a group of community organizers including formerly incarcerated people, attorneys, legal workers, activists, and organizers fighting to end the carceral state. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Ardella’s House provides transitional housing to women returning from prison and fights for the Dignity Act, which would address the needs of women in prison such as access to menstrual products, anti-shackling policies for pregnant women, and work to end strip searches done by men. Facebook | Twitter
DeafCAN!, a program of Christ the King Deaf Church, is working toward community organizing and advocacy with multiple Deaf community organizations to enhance and standardize access and accommodations for Deaf/hard-of-hearing inmates and people on parole or probation. Website
Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration is a coalition of organizations working to end mass incarceration, working against life-without-parole sentences, and building a movement led by people impacted by the criminal justice system. Website | Facebook
Healing Communities USA is led by formerly incarcerated people who are organizing faith communities to engage in campaigns working to change the criminal legal system. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Human Rights Coalition is an organization led by formerly incarcerated people and their families working toward transparency in the criminal justice system, the end of torture and abuse of prisoners, the end of solitary confinement, and accountability of prison officials and administrators for their actions and inactions. Website | Facebook
Movement of Immigrant Leaders in Pennsylvania is a network of families across Pennsylvania fighting for driver’s license legislation; responding to police stops, raids, detentions, and deportations; and expanding their base by building a strong network of active members. Website | Facebook
Reconstruction is led by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people who are developing a new justice paradigm, creating support systems and collaborations to address internalized systems of oppression. Website | Facebook
Sisters Returning Home provides services for women returning to society after incarceration and works with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Kintock, and other housing facilities to establish policies that are fair and give appropriate consideration to gender. Website | Facebook
Why Not Prosper is led by formerly incarcerated women who support women returning from prison. They are working to decrease the number of women whose parental rights are terminated due to incarceration. Website | Facebook | Twitter
Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project is an organization led by formerly incarcerated youth that works to stop the trial of youth as adults, pressure local policymakers to keep youth out of adult jails, and expand their movement to new hubs. Website | Twitter
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project provides case support for youth facing charges in adult court as well as individuals who were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole when they were children and, due to a recent court ruling, are eligible for resentencing. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2018 Grantees
Address This!, a project of Books Through Bars, provides innovative, radical educational courses via correspondence to individuals currently incarcerated throughout Pennsylvania. | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Amistad Law Project is a prison abolition legal organization that provides legal services to incarcerated people and organizes for community restorative justice. | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Ardella’s House is a transitional program established to address pressing issues of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Juntos combines leadership development, community organizing, and coalition building to help their community members become leaders in the fight for human rights and impact policies that affect the Latino immigrant community. | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Lifers, Inc. is organizing and training college students and Prison Society conveners to conduct parole eligibility educational forums throughout Pennsylvania. | Website | Facebook
Reconstruction, Inc. is a constituent-led organization advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice by politicizing returning citizens, organizing young people, and educating members. | Website | Facebook
Urban Creators is a grassroots organization rooted in North Philadelphia that transforms neglected landscapes into dynamic, safe spaces that foster connectivity and self-sufficiency. | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Why Not Prosper is a faith-based grassroots organization that helps formerly incarcerated women find employment and housing, reunite with their children, and not return to prison. | Website | Twitter
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) is a youth-led organization that empowers currently and formerly incarcerated young people through artistic expression, political education, and leadership development. | Website | Facebook | Twitter
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) works to transform the experiences of children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system and aims to eliminate the practice of sentencing children as adults. | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
2017 Grantees
Address This!, a project of Books Through Bars, provides innovative, radical educational courses via correspondence to individuals currently incarcerated throughout Pennsylvania.
Ardella’s House addresses pressing issues for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and aims to improve women’s lives while also changing the systems that create barriers.
The Elevation Project is a reentry program that works to discover and meet the unique needs of people returning to society from a lengthy prison sentence through therapeutic groups, job readiness training, and job placement.
Hearts on a Wire Collective is a group of trans and gender-variant people and allies working in solidarity with them both inside and outside of prisons that publishes quarterly zines and provides needs-responsive support.
Human Rights Coalition supports families in coping with the stress and hardships created by having a loved one incarcerated, and works to transform the prison system to a model of rehabilitation and successful reintegration to society.
I’m FREE (Females Reentering Empowering Each Other) is a group of formerly incarcerated women supporting each other in reconnecting with society and their families, revitalizing their sense of purpose, and freeing themselves from an institutionalized way of living.
Pennsylvania Prison Society, a social justice organization advocating on behalf of prisoners, their families, and formerly incarcerated people, is starting a peer support group for returning citizens to promote collective activism.
POWER (Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower and Rebuild) is a coalition of people of faith committed to bringing about justice by pressing for the needs and priorities of all Philadelphians to be reflected in the systems and policies that shape the city.
Reentry Think Tank connects returning citizens with artists, activists, and legislative experts to make media campaigns that destroy stereotypes about returning citizens, connect returning citizens with organizations and individuals in power across the city, and work across the city to advocate for social, educational, and political platforms that will help those in reentry succeed in their communities.
Sisters Returning Home seeks to protect, defend, and amplify the uncensored voices of prisoners in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania by recording and distributing essays and interviews with incarcerated people.
Urban Creators is a grassroots organization in North Philadelphia that empowers neighborhoods to transform neglected landscapes into dynamic, safe spaces that foster connectivity, self-sufficiency, and innovation.
Veterans Legal Foundation is a coalition advocating for the expansion of legal and social services for incarcerated military veterans.
Why Not Prosper is a faith-based grassroots organization that helps formerly incarcerated women find employment and housing, reunite with their children, and not return to prison.
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) holds art and poetry workshops for young people who are incarcerated in adult jails and raises awareness about the school-to-prison pipeline while building a youth movement to resist and dismantle it.
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) works to transform the experiences of children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system and aims to eliminate the practice of sentencing children as adults.
2016 Grantees
1Love Movement is a community network of grassroots organizers that work together to unite Southeast Asian communities to organize for power, so families can protect their human rights and live with dignity. They are currently launching the #EndDisplacement campaign to uplift the issue of criminal deportation in the US and propose a solution that calls attention to US repatriation agreements and possible revisions that can protect people with criminal convictions from deportation.
Ardella’s House is a transitional program established to address pressing issues of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. They take a dual approach to the issues facing criminal justice-involved women, combining a commitment to changing the circumstances of women’s lives one-by-one with a commitment to changing the systems that create barriers for women.
Books Through Bars distributes books and other publications to prisoners. Their Address This! project aims to provide innovative, radical, educational courses via correspondence to individuals currently incarcerated throughout Pennsylvania. The program prioritizes the participation of those being held in solitary confinement and/or maximum security facilities who are otherwise frequently excluded from educational programming.
The Elevation Project is a re-entry program that works to discover and meet the unique needs of people returning to society from a lengthy prison sentence through therapeutic groups, job readiness training, and job placement. The Elevation Project also advocates for laws and programs that benefit returning citizens in the community.
Hearts on a Wire Collective is a group of trans and gender variant people and those working in solidarity with them both inside and outside of prisons. They publish quarterly ‘zines and provide needs-responsive support, such as giving grants to individuals re-entering Philadelphia from prison, to the T/GV community.
MOVE emerged in the early 1970s as a revolutionary group in Philadelphia. Their main objective is respect for all beings through acknowledging the worth and importance of all living beings. On May 13, 1985 the MOVE house was bombed by the city of Philadelphia, killing 11 people including 5 children. In 2016, MOVE is republishing their book 25 Years on the MOVE and opening a space to give youth home renovation skills while also teaching them about social justice issues.
Pennsylvania Innocence Project is a non-profit law firm working to exonerate the convicted innocent and prevent innocent people from being convicted. Through their Exoneree Compensation Campaign they will work to have Pennsylvania adopt a law ensuring the convicted innocent can successfully re-enter society and receive compensation for the years they and their families suffered.
Pennsylvania Prison Society is a social justice organization advocating on behalf of prisoners, their families, and formerly incarcerated individuals. They are starting a peer support group for returning citizens. The group will offer a forum for discussion and the exchange of information, promote collective activism focused on criminal justice issues, and provide action steps to effectively facilitate systemic change.
Prison Radio seeks to protect, defend, and amplify the uncensored voices of prisoners in Philadelphia and across PA. Each year, they record and distribute over 200 essays and interviews with over two-dozen inmates. They aim to counter PA’s legislative attacks by recording one prisoner from each of the 28 correctional facilities.
Sisters Returning Home advocates for social justice on behalf of families, inmates, and loved-ones who are incarcerated. They will implement a Family Advisory Board to work on issues between families and prison officials, host a Women’s Reentry Summit, and organize a Legislation Day at the state capitol to discuss policies around criminal justice.
Urban Creators is a grass-roots organization that inspires inner-city neighborhoods to transform neglected landscapes into dynamic safe-spaces that foster connectivity, self-sufficiency, and innovation. Their ReGeneration program is a neighborhood-based approach to reducing youth violence, mass incarceration, and recidivism among young African American youth. By empowering at-risk and formerly incarcerated youth as pioneers in the revitalization of their own communities, Urban Creators hopes to improve public safety & civic engagement, build equity and resiliency at the grassroots level, and empower a generation of young leaders, innovators, and urban creators.
Veterans Legal Foundation helps disabled and homeless veterans with housing, health benefits, compensation, military discharges, and records, and advocates for legislation that will give incarcerated veterans a second chance to be given treatment instead of harsh punishments for their past offenses. Their Pennsylvania Veterans Justice Project is a coalition of diverse organizations advocating for expansion of legal and social services and treatment intervention for military veterans incarcerated in Pennsylvania.
Why Not Prosper is a faith-based grassroots organization founded by a formerly incarcerated woman, Rev. Michelle Simmons. Why Not Prosper’s services help formerly incarcerated women to find employment and housing, re-unite with their children, and not return to prison. Their Woman’s Advocacy Program for formerly incarcerated women consists of education, advocacy, and an internship at Riverside Correctional Facility. The goals of the program are to teach women how to be advocates, educate advocates on the ASFA law, and make a difference in the family reunification process.
X-Offenders for Community Empowerment organizes formerly convicted people to reduce recidivism, prevent violent crime, and help returning citizens access essential services. Their Pardon Me clinics, which are being spread to new areas each year, teach people how to get convictions cleared from their permanent records. They are launching a public education campaign to organize support for Ban-the-Box legislation and amendments, and to inform community residents of their rights under Ban-the-Box and the EEOC.
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) holds art and poetry workshops for youth incarcerated in adult jails. YASP is raising awareness about the school-to-prison pipeline and building a youth movement to resist and dismantle it. They are working to repeal Pennsylvania Act 33, which allows youth to be charged as adults.
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) works to transform the experiences of children prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system. The ultimate goal of YSRP is to eliminate the practice of sentencing children as adults. Their Family Advocacy Movement (FAM) program creates peer support groups for family members of youth who are incarcerated or facing incarceration in the adult criminal justice system. FAM takes a participant-led, trauma-informed approach to building community among women with incarcerated loved ones. FAM members will also engage in advocacy work for policy change on behalf of young people in the justice system in order to dismantle the practice of charging children as adults.
2015 Grantees
Books Through Bars distributes books and other publications to prisoners. Their Address This! correspondence courses provide an outlet for stimulating discussion among inmates in solitary confinement or maximum security prisons who are often left out of educational programming.
Human Rights Coalition documents and exposes cases of torture, abuse, and inhumane conditions in Pennsylvania prisons. HRC canvasses neighborhoods to talk directly with people in the community about prison abuse and reform.
JUNTOS is a Latino immigrant-led organization in Philadelphia fighting for human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. JUNTOS is currently pushing for the closure of Berks Family Detention Center.
Lifers Incorporated is producing a DVD and education packet that will articulate the societal benefits associated with the conditional release of prisoners serving life sentences.
Pennsylvania Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Youth was formed by inmates and their families, attorneys, community groups, faith leaders, and academics in order to organize to end life without parole sentences for juvenile offenders, and to allow for the resentencing of those already serving such terms.
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) uses individual representation, strategic litigation, community education, research, and legislative advocacy to allow people with criminal records to better access employment and social services.
Prison Radio gives a voice to those who are incarcerated, allowing them to expose prison conditions firsthand. Each year, they record and distribute more than 200 essays and interviews with over two dozen inmates.
Sisters Returning Home brings prisoners and their loved ones together and educates the community about the impact of the criminal justice system on families and communities. They also work to change unjust policies in the criminal legal system.
Veterans Legal Foundation is a coalition of diverse organizations advocating for the expansion of legal and social services for military veterans incarcerated in Pennsylvania.
Why Not Prosper is a faith-based grassroots organization founded by a formerly incarcerated woman. Why Not Prosper’s services help formerly incarcerated women find employment and housing, reunite with their children, and not return to prison.
X-Offenders for Community Empowerment organizes formerly convicted people to reduce recidivism, prevent violent crime, and access essential services. Their Pardon Me clinics teach people how to get convictions cleared from their permanent records.
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) holds art and poetry workshops for youth incarcerated in adult jails. YASP is also working to repeal Pennsylvania Act 33, which allows youth to be charged as adults.
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) works to transform the experiences of kids prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system. Their ultimate goal is to eliminate the practice of sentencing children as adults.
Youth United for Change (YUC) organizes Philadelphia students to end the school-to-prison pipeline. They train active, committed YUC members on community organizing and anti-oppression skills.
2014 Grantees
Books Through Bars distributes books and other publications to prisoners. They are establishing book clubs, volunteer forums, and partnerships with halfway houses to encourage collaboration across prison walls.
EXIT-US holds civic engagement and voter education forums for returning citizens, helping them challenge the unfair political and punitive systems that oppress them.
Heart to Heart: Comienzos East conducts workshops that help inmates develop spiritual, nonviolent, and community-based leadership skills through meditation and reflective discussion.
Hearts on a Wire is a transgender and gender-variant prison justice collective. Their Homecoming Project helps transgender returning citizens re-enter society as comfortable, accurate versions of themselves.
The Human Rights Coalition documents and exposes cases of torture, abuse, and inhumane conditions in Pennsylvania prisons. They are canvassing to talk directly with people in the community about prison abuse and reform.
Mothers in Charge brings together victims, families, and perpetrators of violent crime to break cycles of violence and criminalization. The group held their third national conference in May, convening anti-violence activists from around the country.
New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia organizes faith communities in Philadelphia to push for fair immigration reform. Having persuaded Mayor Nutter to end ICE holds in the city, the group is holding the city accountable for its promise while advocating for national reform.
The Pennsylvania Innocence Project litigates on behalf of those wrongfully convicted of serious crimes. They provide services to prisoners and their families while conducting research and legal advocacy to support systemic judicial reform.
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) challenges legal and employment policies that keep formerly convicted people from earning an income. PLSE are developing an online platform to inform people of their rights and help them combat unjust policies.
Prison Radio gives a voice to those who are incarcerated, allowing them to expose prison conditions firsthand. They are identifying incarcerated correspondents in Pennsylvania to produce a series of several dozen broadcast essays.
Reconstruction Inc. convenes returning citizens, youth, and the families of incarcerated people to incubate a large-scale movement to end mass incarceration. Reconstruction is developing several new programs focused on grant writing, organizational development, and youth leadership.
Reunification Transportation Services provides bus trips to prison facilities in rural Pennsylvania so that Philadelphia residents can visit incarcerated relatives. They are mobilizing family members to become advocates for prison reform.
Why Not Prosper Inc. empowers women ex-offenders to reenter society and move toward positions of power and leadership. It offers pre-release mentoring and live-in residence at the Why Not Prosper House.
Witness to Innocence is an organization led by death row exonerees that advocates for an end to capital punishment. They are conducting outreach in Philadelphia’s low-income black and Latino neighborhoods to inform residents about race and class biases in death penalty sentencing.
X-Offenders for Community Empowerment organizes formerly convicted people to reduce recidivism, prevent violent crime, and help returning citizens access essential services. Their “Pardon Me” clinics teach people how to get convictions cleared from their permanent records.
The Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) holds art and poetry workshops for youth incarcerated in adult jails. YASP is also working to repeal Pennsylvania Act 33, which allows youth to be charged as adults.
Youth United for Change (YUC) organizes Philadelphia students to end the school-to-prison pipeline. They are pressuring public officials to implement a variety of improvements, from accelerated school oversight to cafeteria nutrition programs.
2013 Grantees
Books Through Bars supplies books to hundreds of incarcerated individuals in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania who have limited access to reading materials. They also educate the public about the negative effects of mass incarceration on communities through a large drop-in volunteer program and youth service-learning opportunities.
EXIT-US combines progressive advocacy, collective leadership, and support-system development to empower returning citizens and their families to dismantle the prison plantation industry.
The Goldring Reentry Initiative aims to reduce recidivism in Philadelphia. Participating social work students at the University of Pennsylvania are trained to design individualized discharge plans for people who are transitioning out of prison, linking them to the health, employment, housing, and education services necessary for their successful reentry.
Human Rights Coalition organizes ex-prisoners, family members of the incarcerated, and their allies to replace the prison system with restorative justice practices and rehabilitative programs. The coalition is running a campaign to end solitary confinement in Pennsylvania.
New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia campaigns to protect the rights of immigrants. Its members are staging a direct-action campaign to pressure Mayor Nutter to end collaboration between the Philadelphia Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Pennsylvania Innocence Project litigates cases to exonerate the falsely accused. Its members also work with law enforcement agencies to address the systemic roots of wrongful conviction.
Reunification Transportation Services brings the incarcerated and their family members together by providing bus and van services to remote correctional facilities in Pennsylvania. These families advocate for fair treatment of incarcerated people in prisons.
Why Not Prosper empowers women ex-offenders to reenter society and move toward positions of power and leadership.It offers pre-release mentoring and live-in residence at the Why Not Prosper House.
Witness to Innocence organizes exonerated death row survivors to campaign for a moratorium on death penalty prosecutions. The organization also provides peer support for exonerees. X-Offenders for Community Empowerment is a group of formerly incarcerated activists. After successfully passing the Ban the Box bill to eliminate the section of job applications requesting criminal histories, they are working to ensure its enforcement by holding business owners accountable to the legislation.
The Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) is a youth-led organization fighting to repeal legislation that allows Pennsylvania courts to try youth as adults. YASP empowers its youth leaders through direct action campaigns, as well as art, poetry, and music workshops.
2010 Grantees
Books through Bars sends quality reading material to prisoners and encourages creative dialogue on the criminal justice system. This year they will provide thousands of free books to incarcerated people in order to encourage a positive contribution to their communities upon return.
Hearts on a Wire organizes incarcerated transgender people to effect change and make the public aware of the discrimination they face in Pennsylvania prisons. They will release a report this year called “Glitter is not Allowed: Experiences of Trans and Gender Variant People in Pennsylvania’s Prison Systems.”
Human Rights Coalition is working to replace the prison system with a system of accountability in communities. They are focused this year on reporting human rights abuses in PA prisons, ending the use of solitary confinement and helping incarcerated people organize for change.
Inside Out Prison Exchange serves as an engine for social change by bringing college students together with incarcerated men and women to study as peers in a seminar behind prison walls. They will offer dozens of trainings this year.
Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation opposes the death penalty and empowers the families of murder victims to explain the negative impact capital punishment has on them and the executed.
National Lawyers Guild is a professional association for lawyers, law students, paralegals, and others. They will use their grant to train lawyers to use their pro bono hours to help expunge arrest records and secure pardons for formerly incarcerated people.
Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty mobilizes a powerful network of individuals and direct action groups to put a stop to executions in the state. They plan to lobby for a moratorium on the death penalty this year and provide community education opportunities throughout the state.
Pennsylvania Innocence Project works to secure exoneration and restoration to society for persons who have been wrongly convicted. They will use their grant to support trainings for pro bono lawyers and identify systemic causes of wrongful convictions.
Prison Health News is a newsletter designed by and for incarcerated people with HIV, hepatitis C, and other health issues in prisons and jails. They will distribute the newsletter throughout the state’s prisons.
Reunification Transportation Services brings families and their incarcerated loved ones together. RTS builds the capacity of its constituents to advocate in their communities on issues of social justice within the prison system.
Witness to Innocence is the first national organization to highlight the issue of wrongful imprisonment and inequities in the justice system by elevating the stories of exonerated ex-death row prisoners and their family members.
Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project (YASP) is building a youth-led movement to end the practice of automatically trying and incarcerating young people as adults. Their focus in the coming year will be the repeal of Act 33, which allows youth to be tried as adults.