One Spirit In Action & Interfaith Prison Partnership — Release Bags Drive
One Spirit in Action (OSIA) together with Interfaith Prison Partnership (IPP)
are supporting a drive to collect enough items for 30-50 Release Bags by April 30, 2025.
Interfaith Prison Partnership (IPP) works to improve the lives of persons involved with the justice system, currently focusing on women in New York State’s Bedford Hills and Taconic facilities.
Women being released from prison leave with little to no essential items, not even so much as a toothbrush or comb. Often they are released to homeless shelters rather than to loving and supportive family or community environments. In order to carry what few items they may have – some medication or an ID – they are only provided with a trash bag.
IPP seeks to let these women know that they are part of the community, their sacred worth is recognized, that they are seen and supported in their reentry into society. Thus, IPP has developed a program to provide Release Bags to women upon their exit from the Bedford Hills and Taconic facilities.
What We’re Looking For
We are seeking donations of basic personal care items including:
full-sized shampoo & conditioner
deodorant & soap
feminine hygiene items
lip balm & hand lotion
sanitizer & Kleenex
hair ties & comb/brush
wash cloth & towel
fleece blanket
pens & notebook
hard candy or gummies
How to Purchase and Send Items
To make it simple, these items can be easily purchased and shipped directly from Amazon.com using the following “IPP Release Bag” link: (Note, link is for bulk purchases)
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3PEYX80HP8NBS/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1?language=en_US
If you wish to purchase items in fewer quantities than bulk, please reference the list of personal care items outlined above. If you wish to purchase from your preferred store other than Amazon, please utilize the list for items that are needed.
Items can be shipped to:
OSIA / IPP, c/o Laura Reid
St. Philip's Church in the Highlands
Attn: Christopher Fasulo
Interfaith Prison Partnership
1101 Route 9D
Garrison, NY 10524-3638
Want to Make a Financial Donation Instead?
Cash donations to this initiative can also be made using this link: https://www.interfaithprisonpartnership.org/donate
Please designate “For OSIA/IPP Release Bags” in the Additional Notes box.
Interfaith Prison Project
Want More Info?
For more information about IPP, contact Laura Reid at lauracreid23@gmail.com
For more information about OSIA, contact Rev. Laurene Williams at revlaurene@1spirit.org
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”
— Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
