HRP Prison Partnership

Churches are invited to promote the welfare of our neighbors in prison.

 

HRP Prison Partnership

The purpose of the HRP Prison Partnership is to promote the welfare of our neighbors in prison.  The partnership assists individual churches who would like to donate specific items that are useful to people in prison and approved by the correction facilities. 

During the pandemic the two women’s prisons in Bedford received more than 40,000 bars of soap and more than 13,000 face masks on an emergency basis from the community.  These items need to be replenished along with others that are regularly needed.  HRP participated in the pandemic collection initiative and continues to donate Care Package deliveries once or twice a year that provide toiletries and personal hygiene items to every incarcerated woman.

In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus says that the nations will be judged based on their treatment of the less fortunate.  When we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, and visit those in prison, we will inherit the kingdom prepared for us since the foundation of the world.  The HRP Prison Partnership encourages churches to engage in a form of ministry that is faithful and rewarding.

Participating churches include Irvington, Katonah, Larchmont Avenue, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, Ossining, Philipstown/Cold Spring, South Salem, and Washingtonville.

Contacts:

Supporters

Presbytery of Hudson River

Bedford 
Gilead (Carmel)
Irvington 
Katonah 
Larchmont Avenue 
Liberty
Mount Kisco
New Rochelle
Ossining 
Philipstown/Cold Spring
South Salem
Washingtonville

Ecumenical Partners

Antioch Baptist (Bedford Hills)
Bet Torah (Mt. Kisco)
Church of the Heavenly Rest (NYC)
Memorial United Methodist (White Plains)
Reformed Church of Bronxville
St. Matthew's & St. James Episcopal Church (Bedford)
UCC Metropolitan Association

Rev. Elizabeth Friend-Ennis, Director of Interfaith Prison Partnership, and Sharon Griest Ballen, Chair of Prison Relations Advisory Committee, serving Thanksgiving luncheon at Taconic Correctional facility. Photograph by AngelaJamesPhoto.

 

Interfaith Prison Partnership (IPP)

HRP churches participate in prison ministry in cooperation with Interfaith Prison Partnership (IPP). IPP is a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry that was founded in 2012 by Hudson River Presbytery. IPP operates in fiscal partnership with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, a (501)(c)(3) entity on Long Island with extensive experience in prison ministry. Sisters of Saint Joseph provide financial administration and grant writing assistance.

  • The mission of IPP is to increase awareness of incarcerated women and men and advocate for criminal justice reform. IPP believes in the inherent value of every human being including criminal offenders. 

  • IPP envisions a world in which incarcerated people are offered opportunities or rehabilitation, healing, and spiritual development.  IPP serves as an ecumenical clearing house and think tank on prison issues. 

  • IPP acts as an agent of change by facilitating conversation; networking with other organizations in the field; connecting people who do prison work; and educating through articles and conference presentations.

IPP offers many programs that are available to HRP churches and church members:

  • Listen & Learn sessions for churches and youth groups who want to learn about prison ministry.

  • Care packages for incarcerated women; release bags for women transitioning back to civilian life; and activity bags for children visiting their mothers in prison.

  • Tours of the Taconic and Bedford Hills correctional facilities for religious leaders led by the prison superintendents.

  • Annual appreciation and recognition event for Corrections Officers, funds permitting.

  • All Souls’ Day worship service on the grounds of the Taconic correctional facility to remember incarcerated women, men, and children who died in prison.

Contacts:

Prison Relations Advisory Committee (PRAC)

IPP promotes community support for prisons through a program called Adopt a Prison.  This program has been implemented in Bedford, New York with the creation and appointment of the Prison Relations Advisory Committee (PRAC) by the Town Board.  PRAC meets in bi-monthly public meetings to share information and encourage stakeholders to work together for the benefit of all. 

PRAC attendees include elected representatives, local government leaders, prison superintendents, executives from the NYS Department of Corrections, and representatives of voluntary organizations that work in the prisons.  Churches, mosques and synagogues also attend. 

To the best of our knowledge, Bedford is the only municipality in the country that has established a committee to advise the town specifically on prison issues.

Recent agenda items:

  • COVID infections and safety measures.

  • Transitional housing support for formerly incarcerated women who are returning to civilian life.

  • Formation of a support group for incarcerated transgender neighbors.

  • Thanksgiving dinner for incarcerated women and staff at the Taconic facility.

  • Expansion of Adopt a Prison program to Sing Sing.

  • New state guidelines for packages mailed to incarcerated men and women.

  • $650,000 grant from the Biden infrastructure bill for a new sidewalk on Harris Road in Bedford that will provide pedestrian safety for prison employees and visitors.

Contact: