Chicago Books to Women in Prison

Do you have a friend or family member in prison who would like to receive books? We may be able to help. Please email us at chicagobwp@gmail.com. Be sure to include the name, department of corrections number, and mailing address of the individual, as well as a few kinds of books she would like.

Currently we send books to women and trans people in state prisons in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, as well as all federal prisons. We do not send books to jails and other short-term facilities outside Chicago.

You may also be interested in other resources available to women in prison and their families, friends and advocates.

Want to donate books or other materials? Before donating, learn what we need most—and what we don’t need at all. And please email us to see if we need what you have in mind. Our storage space is limited.

Make an appointment to drop off books 3–5 pm any Saturday or Sunday. Please plan on waiting a few minutes while we review the books. We’re located at 4511 N. Hermitage Ave. (Hermitage and Sunnyside). We’re only two blocks from the Montrose Brown Line stop and there is plenty of free street parking. Take the walkway to the church’s community building—not the sanctuary on the corner—and ring our doorbell. It’s the highest one to the left of the door.

To mail books, please send (USPS Media Mail recommended) to:

Chicago Books to Women in Prison c/o RFUMC
4511 N. Hermitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640

Interested in volunteering? Learn more here.

If you have any questions, please email us at chicagobwp@gmail.com.

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