‘love me as I am and remember who that is’

words of encouragement from her experience

Reading at Burlington Book Festival

artwork from inmates at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility

• since January 2010, writing inside VT has given over 350 incarcerated women an outlet for self-expression in word and art
• research shows that self-expression improves emotional well-being
• we provide these women a safe and supportive environment to be seen and heard
• we offer tools and skills for them to grow into better family and community members
• our trained staff provide a forum for emotional growth and increased well-being at a fraction the cost of imprisonment ($1260 vs $84,000)
• we share their stories with you and the community at large to increase understanding and compassion about who these women are and how prison impacts their lives

 “I come to have a voice and be heard. To give our pain a face, and have our superiors look that beast in the eyes. I want the fire that I feel inside to ignite the wick of idea, of voice. I want to help. To feel helped.” – recent participate