Letter Writing Ministry

All applicants must agree to abide by these Guidelines in order to participate:

• Letter-writers (“LWs”) must respect the privacy and confidentiality of their matches. LWs may decline to write about, and may ask their match to avoid, uncomfortable topics. LWs may decline to share personal information at their discretion. LWs should respect these personal choices. Not doing so could become grounds for terminating the match.
• LWs should not communicate with any other person through their CLF match. 
• LWs will not request or send items considered contraband by the prison facility.
• We expect participants to exchange letters for at least six months, although many matches last longer.
• LWs may confer with CLF staff to ask advice or discuss concerns, and either LW may request that the match be terminated.

Participation requires patience and persistence, as many things can interfere with your attempt to exchange letters with your match. Letter writers (“LWs”) who are not incarcerated can become busy with work, family, and other personal concerns. LWs who are incarcerated face a number of potential barriers, including:

• inconsistent access to paper, pens, envelopes or stamps (and often aren’t allowed to receive these from “outside”)
• transfer to another facility with no notice
• personal property trashed or declared “lost” while they’re out of their cells/dorms
• general delays in the prison’s processing of mail

We ask our LWs to exchange letters about once a month, and there’s no requirement to wait for a response. If you have more to say than your match, you can write again before you receive a reply. If your match writes more often than you care to, you can reply to several letters with one of yours. In time, each match finds its own pace.

It’s a good idea for LWs to start every letter by giving the date(s) of the letter(s) you’ve received since you last wrote, and the date(s) of any letter(s) that you’ve sent IF you’re not sure your match received them. If you write and don’t hear back, then write again! If you send two letters with no reply in over two months, notify the CLF staff.

Incarcerated LWs should address physical letters as shown below, where they will be sent along to their free-world match:

Community Church NY – Worthy Now
Worthy Now PenPal Hub

Atten: Firstname
24 E. 35th Street
NY NY 10016

The CLF’s only expectation is that participants write friendly letters on topics of mutual interest. We hope you will exchange letters for at least six months (and you may continue longer if both LW’s wish), but we can also assist in ending a match as necessary. If either LW comes to some difficulty or discomfort in the match or simply does not wish to continue, please contact CLF’s Prison Ministry staff. We can help address any problems that may have arisen and/or help bring your match to a caring conclusion. We’d rather avoid matches that end with participants wondering why they never heard back from their match, or feeling bad that they just quit writing with no explanation.

Please also read the “Notes for All Participants” section above.

It is important to address envelopes to your pen pal using their full official name and prisoner ID number. Your pen pal will see how you address the envelope being sent to their facility.. If you mail your letters to them directly, they will be able to tell your city and state from the postmark.

For physical letters, please useWhen in doubt, send only plain white paper and black or blue ink. Avoid any metal (no paperclips, metal clasps on envelopes, foil on cards/envelope liners, unnecessary staples), stationery, cards, colored markers/pencils/highlighters/sharpies/etc., and stickers/labels (even for return addresses).

Our only expectation is that you will exchange letters. If you want to send anything else, first ask your pen pal if the items is desired. Prisons vary widely in what they allow, so make sure you also check the facility’s website for specific rules.

If you intend to send more than letters, be clear and upfront with your penpal about what you are willing to provide.

• Items that can’t be read or that could have con­traband inside or between-layers might be returned. For example, CDs/DVDs, Polaroid photos, or drawings can be a problem. If something is returned, just live and learn. Don’t ask your pen pal to protest it. It’s harder on them than on you.
• If you fill out any form provided by your pen pal or their prison, a copy could be given to your pen pal, which gives them access to whatever personal details you provided on the form (such as your full name, address, social security number, etc.).
• If you order a book, magazine subscription, or any other gift, your name and mailing address could appear on the packing slip or recipient paperwork that goes to your pen pal. Many prisons will only accept such material directly from the publisher or bookseller. Also, consider how it will feel to your pen pal if/when you decline to renew a magazine subscription.

Everything you write in your letters can also be read by prison staff and any other people who are incarcerated who might have access to your pen pal’s personal possessions. Please honor your pen pal’s need for discretion in their letters and in yours. Follow their lead on how to discuss things you may not be sure how to approach. When in doubt, ask!

Think carefully before suggesting or agreeing to a photo-exchange. People, incarcerated or not, often may associate a photo-exchange with a more romantic relationship than you may have intended. Many who are incarcerated do not have easy access to photos of themselves, and the few personal/family photos they have may be precious to them. Remember, everything you send can be seen by more than just your pen pal; only send things you are comfortable with anyone looking at.

People experiencing incarceration as well as people in the free world vary widely in their sense of appropriate behaviors and boundaries. You may need to remind your pen pal about the letter-writing guidelines and the need to stick to them.  

Be clear with your pen pal on topics you don’t want to write about or be asked about.

If you ever have questions, problems, or concerns, do not hesitate to contact the CLF Prison Ministry. We’re here to offer advice and support to our letter-writers.