[Bookstoprisoners] Books to Prisoners in Illinois

[Sandra Ahten]

To: Illinois Literacy Foundation
From: Sandra Ahten, Coordinator, UC-Books To Prisoners Program, 
www.books2prisoners.org

Hello, I am coordinating a Books To Prisoners Program for prisoners in 
Illinois Prisons. We have been active for nearly two years and have put more 
than 4000 books into the hands of inmates at no charge to them. We collect 
books from the community; sort and store them; and then answer individual 
inmates specific requests. We supplement our stock with dictionaries that we 
purchase. More than 85% of our first time requests are for dictionaries.

We have more than 20 volunteers participating each week.

In addition we have piloted a program that stocks and staffs our county 
jail.

We have done our own funding through books sales (selling excess donated 
books) and community solicitation /donations. We are supported in-kind 
through our parent organization the UC-Independent Media Center.

I am interested in meeting with you in person or by phone and discussing the 
possibility of the Illinois Literacy Foundation funding a few specific 
projects. Could you tell me how to reach you -- or what you believe our next 
step should be?

Sandra Ahten
217-367-6345