Blog
Letters From Prison: Hope is a Scarce Commodity
An excerpt of a letter from Rick in February of 2014, when he was still in county jail, and about six months before he was moved to prison. He writes about his idea to start Adopt an Inmate. I feel as though I am the most well-taken-care-of inmate in Del Valle. Having...
The day after Buzz Fest looks a little different from Buzz Fest
The day after Buzz Fest comes with boxes, bags, bins, mail, and a little emotional whiplash. But beneath the mess is everything we carried home with us: work accomplished, connections deepened, unforgettable conversations, and the reminder that some weekends take a little longer to leave you.
Your Sunday Read for August 9, 2026: When the Work Comes Together
This week, connection seemed to show up everywhere we lookedâfrom a new way of bringing people together, to familiar faces unexpectedly appearing in the news, to a book that crossed a prison wall and found its story making its way back home. Come along for this weekâs Sunday Read, straight from our 10th annual Volunteer Buzz Fest. đ
Built with Intention: Our Blueprint Matching App
Adopt an Inmate is preparing to launch a new matching app built in partnership with UC Berkeleyâs Blueprint. Designed to make our most detailed and labor-intensive process more efficient without sacrificing care, the app will help prospective adopters identify thoughtful potential matches while keeping peopleânot technologyâat the center of every connection.
When Someone You Know Inside Shows Up in the News
Twice in one week, familiar faces from inside prison appeared unexpectedly in the newsâand reminded me how powerful it is when the outside world gets to see the person beyond the prison number.
When the Story Makes Its Way Back
After Theo of Golden crossed a prison wall and became a shared reading experience, Teddyâs story reached the authorâs team – and led us back to the chapter at the heart of the novel.
Your Sunday Read: | July 26, 2026
This weekâs Sunday Read brings together poetry, shared books, transformation, remembrance, and a candid conversation about addiction inside prisonâalong with updates from the Adopt an Inmate hive and our upcoming 10th Annual Volunteer Weekend.