Blog
Our 10th Annual Volunteer Weekend Is Almost Here!
Our 10th Annual Volunteer Weekend—Bee Fest 2026—is coming August 7–10. Help us raise $1,000 for volunteer meals, project supplies, and, if funding allows, small appreciation gifts for the people donating their time to this work. Donate or share the campaign today: https://givebutter.com/QTYbGt
“Do You Need Help?”: Addiction on the Inside
On this episode of “40 Minutes With 40”, founder “Free,” and an anonymous guest known as “Black” discuss addiction from inside the Virginia DOC. From the fentanyl crisis during COVID to the “Paper” taking hold, today, Free and Black talk about the impact of drug use, the draw, and alternatives we can implement to better support addiction recovery among the DOC population.
Maurice Was Here
Maurice was one of Adopt an Inmate’s earliest adoptees. Four years after his death in federal custody, an old letter reminded us of the joy he felt when someone finally chose to write—and why every person deserves to be remembered by name.
From Incarceration to Impact: Three Books by Dr. Eric Burnham
While serving a life sentence in Oregon, Dr. Eric Burnham earned his PhD and transformed decades of study, reflection, and lived experience into three books addressing addiction, trauma, emotional intelligence, and healthier relationships. As he approaches a parole hearing this September, we are proud to share the work he has created to help others heal and grow.
Shared Reading with Adopt an Inmate
Inspired by Teddy reading Theo of Golden aloud to his cellmate, Ai is introducing shared reading recommendations to help adopters and adoptees connect through stories — one of the few gifts that can still cross prison walls.
I am from …
Joshua reflects on the people, places, traditions, contradictions, and painful memories that shaped his life in this moving “I Am From” poem.