This weekās Sunday Read brings together poetry, shared books, transformation, remembrance, and a candid conversation about addiction inside prisonāalong with updates from the Adopt an Inmate hive and our upcoming 10th Annual Volunteer Weekend.
Our 10th Annual Volunteer WeekendāBee Fest 2026āis coming August 7ā10. 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
Maurice was one of Adopt an Inmateās 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 writeāand why every person deserves to be remembered by name.
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.
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 ā one of the few gifts that can still cross prison walls.
This week was spent assembling things. In my kitchen, that meant cabinets, drawers, and a borrowed nail gun. At Adopt an Inmate, it meant reviewing the completed handoff of our new matching application. In both cases, things are beginning to look less like piles of parts and more like something that can actually be used.
Sometimes a Sunday Read becomes a Monday Read. This week, the delay came with progress: our new Volunteer Calendar & Events page is live, Letters From Prison: In the Classroom continues to grow, Bee Fest planning is underway, and after a year without a kitchen, we’re finally welcoming new cabinets. Come catch up on what’s been happening around the hive.
Adopt an Inmate now hosts monthly volunteer sessions at Friends Church. Learn how to get involved, view upcoming dates on our public calendar, and sign up to help support our work.
Every summer, we gather a small group of volunteers, board members, supporters, and friends for...
After more than a decade of connecting incarcerated individuals with volunteers, Adopt an Inmate is expanding its focus on educational partnerships, mentorship, and community engagement through our growing Letters From Prison: In the Classroom initiative. Learn about the next chapter of our work and how educators, students, and community partners can get involved.