“There’s a lot of people who are really passionate,” volunteers keep the Prison Book Project alive amid institutional challenges

Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity, has a chapter at Virginia Tech. This chapter has built a very strong relationship with the Prison Book Project. They throw more wrapping parties at Virginia Tech than anyone else, and they list the Prison Book Project as one of their top service projects for 2022.

Annabelle Owens, who is the vice president of service for APO, said that her minor in public health made her want to help people who were in jail, which led her to get her organization involved in the Prison Book Project.

Owens, a senior majoring in biological sciences, said, “I have too many volunteers at every event because so many people were interested.” “A lot of people really care about what they do.”

Owens shows how much she cares about the project when she talks about it. Working on the project has even changed how she goes about making a living. Reading letters from people who are in jail has made her realize how much help they really need. Now, her plan is to go to law school after she graduates so she can fight for their rights and make the system better.

“Institutionally, the odds are against us,” she said. “I’ve come to realize that I need to put myself in a place where I can make those systemic changes.”

This year, some students in the department’s Humanities for Public Service major are also doing their field studies by helping out with the Prison Book Project.

The project stood out to Danielle Rich, a senior who double majors in humanities for public service and international studies, because she loves books and because she knows someone who has been in prison. She has seen how hard it is for people in prison to talk to people outside of their cells. So, when Rich got the chance to work with the Prison Book Project as a volunteer, she saw a chance to help people who are often cut off from the rest of the world.

Because of these rules, it’s not always easy for Rich and the other volunteers to see how their work makes a difference. But for Rich, the letters people send her about how the books have brightened their days, helped them grow, or even kept them alive are enough to keep her going.

She said, “I would tell people to be willing to help others even if they don’t know what will come of it.” “Just because you can’t see something growing or changing doesn’t mean it’s not having an effect.”

Britt hopes that the Prison Book Project will grow into even more prison education programs in the future. Possible ideas for the future include sending more courses like Sylvester Johnson’s to prisons or starting a pen pal program with people who are in jail.

Paperback books in good shape can be given to the project, and book drives are often held on campus. People always want to buy dictionaries, almanacs, and religious texts. On the VT Prison Book Project website, there is a list of the kinds of books that are most needed.

The project also works with Blacksburg Books, where customers can buy and donate books that have been ordered to meet specific requests from letter writers. So far, more than 350 books have been sent to them through this partnership.

Help is always welcome at parties where people wrap books.

Owens said, “All of these parts make up a bigger picture.” “I think the two most important parts of being an activist are taking part in events like this and learning what you can do to bring about systemic change.”