The Pennsylvania Prison Society

Though the Pennsylvania Prison Society is the oldest humanitarian organization in the country, mass incarceration and the devastating impact of COVID-19 on poor communities of color has made our work more relevant and more critical than ever. Our small team promotes the health, safety, and dignity of Philadelphians in prison and their families through one-on-one support, monitoring prison conditions, and education and advocacy. We execute our mission in three key ways: We monitor and mediate. We connect. We make it human. Our vision is a Pennsylvania in which policies and practices that violate the health, safety, and dignity of people in correctional custody are quickly identified and stopped; where all people in custody and their families can easily, regularly and with support, stay connected and engaged; and a nation in which depriving people of their liberty is a last resort for public safety, used selectively and for short periods of time. A critical component of our mission is to promote the understanding that when a person goes to jail, incarceration does not impact them alone but also their family and broader network. Family members are torn apart, income is lost, support systems are removed, and the people left behind incur the extra burden of supporting their loved one inside jail. This can have an extreme toll logistically, financially, and emotionally. Support from Impact100 would increase our capacity to serve 1.5 million Philadelphians by helping to ensure the health, safety, and dignity of their neighbors, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and parents.