IMPACT
Promoting the health, safety, and dignity of people in prison and their families
WHEN THE WORLD AROUND YOU IS NOT THE WAY YOU WANT IT, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE SIMPLY BY SHOWING UP.
Darnice & Jay
Darnice’s brother is incarcerated at SCI Albion, and Jay, a dedicated volunteer, has been a crucial support, offering help and hope when it’s needed most.
Show up for someone else. Show up for what you believe in. Just show up.
For the 238th year, the Pennsylvania Prison Society showed up. Volunteers, staff, supporters, and advocates showed up to keep families connected, showed up to help people behind bars access healthcare and maintain their dignity, and showed up to advocate for change.
In 2024-25 this community showed up strong. We showed up for the more than 10,000 families and incarcerated people who came to us for help—more than ever before. We showed up across Pennsylvania with the launch of new programming in Southwestern Pennsylvania, firstever monitoring of jails in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and engagement events for incarcerated voters in Central Pennsylvania. We showed up powerfully, working with politicians and advocates in Dauphin County to end the policy of charging people daily fees for their incarceration, in Philadelphia to create a new Prison Community Oversight Board, in Pittsburgh to get youth out of solitary confinement, and nationally as part of a coalition to end exploitative phone costs for incarcerated people calling their loved ones.
This work is entirely dependent on the dedication and skill of our volunteers and the commitment and support of our funders. If you gave your time, thank you. If you provided your support, thank you. You are the backbone of this organization.
This report tells the story of what you made possible. The Prison Society’s work flows from our vision, mission, and values. Our impact is a result of a huge collective effort and the support and goodwill of thousands of people. As you read this report, I hope you will feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in how we have shown up for each other, and for what we have achieved together.
Let’s keep showing up.
Claire Shubik-Richards Executive Director
Two Volunteers, One Mission: Showing Up
Sylvia VOLUNTEER PRISON MONITOR, CENTRE COUNTY
Yvonne Newkirk is the best of Prison Society; her time and dedication to incarcerated people is profound. She is a mother, a sister, and a grandmother, and she knows what it means to be a loved one of an incarcerated family member. Yvonne visits facilities across the state, with a special focus on SCI Chester.
Sylvia visits people in SCI Rockview weekly, and knows their stories, struggles, and families. She has been a tremendous asset to not only the people in prison at Rockview, but also their families.
“I volunteer because I want to see better conditions for people in prison. There are over 200 volunteer monitors like me across the state. We keep showing up, because it’s easy to forget about this group of human beings behind bars—but we can’t afford to.”
“I talk as long as they want. They need someone to talk to. I’m just there to make sure they are getting treated in a humane way. I can’t give up. It touches me inside. It touches my heart.”
Yvonne VOLUNTEER PRISON MONITOR, PHILADELPHIA
Showing Up for Each Other
For incarcerated people returning home, the list of challenges is long and varied, but social support and emotional resilience can prepare them to take on every challenge.
That’s why we’re proud that our Family and Community Supports programming is a bridge between incarceration and opportunity. This year, a researcher at LaSalle University conducted an independent review of our Building Connection program and found that our unique emphasis on social and emotional support is key to the program’s success.
“Hope Alive” Peer Support Group meeting for people recently returned home
Aaron VOLUNTEER MENTOR, PHILADELPHIA
Aaron dedicates his time to mentoring with the Prison Society. As someone who was formerly incarcerated, he understands the challenges of re-entry and uses his experience to guide others through their own transitions.
“People will be released. People will come back to society. The way they are received directly impacts you, your community, and your city. They have completed their sentences, and they won’t be prepared unless support is in place. I do it in gratitude for the opportunities extended to me as a returning citizen. I believe it’s my duty to give back and help others rebuild their lives, just like I was helped.”
Powerful Steps Forward
Incarcerated people participated in “Building Connections” in the past two and a half years
New “Building Connections” sites launched in Western PA including Allegheny County Jail, SCI Greene, and SCI Fayette
First-ever “Building Connections” program for women launched at Allegheny County Jail
Showing Up for One Person at a Time
Our unique access eenables us to be present, bear witness, and make a meaningful difference where it matters most. For people in prison, it means everything from offering a listening ear and providing hope to advocating for real solutions to the critical challenges they face.
With the dedication of our incredible volunteers, we respond to every request for help, achieving not only tangible wins but countless moments beyond what numbers can capture.
Prison Monitoring Highlights prisons visited facility walkthroughs 3,000+ 57 21
meetings with incarcerated people
Showing up with holiday cheer: 11 volunteers brought cookies, cards, and carols to 384 residents at Blair County Prison—Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the crowd favorite.
Peggy VOLUNTEER PRISON MONITOR, CHESTER
COUNTY Peggy has helped nearly 200 people in prison this past year and stays in touch with at least 100 incarcerated people via email, answering about 50 emails a week on average.
“Most people are reluctant to get involved because they view people in prison as dangerous, but when you sit and talk to them, you realize they’re somebody’s brother, son, or father. They deserve the same dignity as every other human being. By volunteering and visiting, you show them that someone cares, especially when they don’t have family or their families have disengaged.”
Disability Advocacy SCI Mahanoy
THE SITUATION : An incarcerated person with Huntington’s Disease and multiple psychiatric disabilities could not speak or write and had difficulty communicating basic needs.
OUR ROLE: Society volunteers connected the incarcerated person with the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP) and Disability Rights Pennsylvania to bring a lawsuit highlighting inadequate care.
THE RESULT: The lawsuit prompted systemic improvements in communication protocols: UbiDuo devices are now available for non-verbal communication, and non-verbal indicator signs are placed on affected individuals’ cell doors.
Youth Solitary Confinement
Allegheny County
THE SITUATION : At least six youth were being held in solitary confinement. Some had been isolated for up to eight months and denied school, heat, and food.
OUR ROLE: Society staff and volunteers documented conditions and alerted the new jail warden.
THE RESULT: Most youth were removed from solitary, and all youth were reinstated in school.
PRISON MONITORING IN ACTION
Showing Up For Change
The people we hear from in prison, and the families who turn to us for help, inspire every step of our advocacy work. They share their stories with us, and in turn, we channel their experiences and needs into action.
The strides we make in our advocacy efforts drive much-needed change in policies and practices that directly affect people we serve.
Advocacy In Action
⚫ STRENGTHENING OVERSIGHT:
After three years of persistent advocacy, we played a leading role in pushing through a citywide ballot measure that resulted in the creation of the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and a staffed office. This board will hold public hearings about the Philadelphia prisons, making sure it’s more transparent and accountable to the public.
⚫ CONNECTING FAMILIES:
As part of a larger coalition, we helped secure FCC regulations that cap prison and jail phone rates; now we are actively defending these reforms in federal court.
⚫ REFORMING PRISON NUTRITION:
Our report on food in PA prisons inspired the Philadelphia Department of Prisons to rebid its food service contracts.
⚫ FORGIVING FEES:
Dauphin County eliminated $65 million in unpaid room and board fees, thanks to a coalition of advocates including the Prison Society.
This spring, we joined our advocacy partners at a press conference urging voters to support Ballot Measure 3 to bring greater transparency to Philadelphia’s jails.
HIGH-IMPACT MOMENTS
Connecting People In Prison with Elected Leaders
We had the honor of bringing Philadelphia City Council Members Brooks and Landau on a monitoring tour of CFCF, Philadelphia’s largest jail.
Empowering Voters With a Civil Rights Icon
In October, the Reverend Jesse Jackson joined our team at the Dauphin County Jail to register voters, a moment that underscored the power of civic engagement for incarcerated people.
PUBLIC RECOGNITION:
⚫ Included in the Pennsylvania State FY25 budget—a major milestone in public recognition and support.
⚫ Received the 2024 Torch of Global Enlightenment Award from the Harrisburg World Affairs Council.
⚫ Awarded the Patriot Ledger Peace and Justice Award— recognizing our advocacy for dignity and fairness.
Showing Up With Impact
Our helpline is a lifeline for people in prison and their families. Through calls, emails, and letters, we provide one-on-one outreach, ensuring that everyone is met with a timely, compassionate response
“You guys have provided more than a service. You have been kind, caring, and have given me peace of mind.”
Scaling Impact For Families
FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS: In fall 2024, we launched virtual support groups to create a safe, welcoming space where families can connect, share experiences, and find support as they navigate the challenges of loving someone who is behind bars.
BUSES FOR FAMILIES SEEING LOVED ONES:
After a loss of funding and a long hiatus, we are happy to be restarting affordable bus service for Philadelphia families visiting loved ones in prisons 2-8 hours away. We hope to relaunch buses from Pittsburgh in 2026!
FAMILY RESOURCE SERIES: Our newly launched video series offers families practical step-by-step guidance on staying connected and supporting their loved ones during incarceration and beyond, empowering them with the tools they need to thrive.
Virginia BUS CAPTAIN & VOLUNTEER MENTOR, PHILADELPHIA
Virginia has been showing up for the Prison Society for nearly 25 years, offering wisdom, consistency, and connection as a mentor and as a bus captain, helping her fellow passengers on the bus—and in life —navigate the stresses and sorrows associated with having a family member behind bars.
“Participants discuss shielding incarcerated loved ones from both the hardships on the outside but also of the good things as well... It seems there are artificial walls in addition to the actual walls and barriers. Our groups create space to speak the unspoken.”
—Jesse SUPPORT GROUP FACILITATOR
“My gift is connecting with people, and I use it in a positive, constructive way that may make a difference in someone’s life. Being a volunteer isn’t always easy. Sometimes, time and effort don’t add up to the results you want, but I keep showing up. I don’t judge myself. My goal is to be available, to be supportive, to be helpful—no matter what.”
2025 Award Winners Showing Up to Celebrate
Love Above Bars is our annual celebration, offering a unique opportunity to connect, celebrate our collective progress, and reflect on the impactful work happening across Pennsylvania.
Ernest Fuller, Volunteer of the Year
John Topper, Incarcerated Person of the Year (SCI Mahanoy)
Capt. Gerald Roundtree, Correctional Employee of the Year
VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS YEAR’S RECIPIENTS.
Joshua Vaughn, Human Rights Champion
A Look Back at Love Above Bars 2024
150 to 230
Quadrupled $10,000
attendance growth from FY’24 the net event revenue raised in one day, thanks to board and donor support
Pittsburgh Spring Event
We held our signature Pittsburgh event at Trace Brewing in Bloomfield this spring, bringing together a powerful community of supporters, friends, and partners to celebrate our impact and build momentum for what’s ahead.
Darnice Ward, whose brother is incarcerated at SCI Albion, and Jay Aronson, a longtime volunteer and professor at Carnegie Mellon, shared moving stories about the realities of incarceration and the power of collective care.
“It was an honor to speak in such a welcoming space. For the first time, my mom felt truly understood. Please don’t stop this powerful work”.
Darnice
WE’RE DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP TO OUR EVENTS—AND TO TRACE BREWING AND TRIPLE BOTTOM BREWING FOR OFFERING A SPACE WHERE CONNECTION COULD TAKE ROOT
A Smart Investment
● GRANTS 88% ● INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS 7% ● PROGRAM REVENUE 5%
“With our sound financial position and growing support, we have been able to expand our programs and increase the impact we can have. Together, we turn that support into action that drives systemic change, while making a difference for each individual and family we touch.”
—Matt Maron TREASURER
Expenditures
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
$3,083,781
● PROGRAM 68%
● ADMINISTRATION 25%
● FUNDRAISING 7%
Great Ways to Give
MONTHLY GIVING
Monthly gifts provide dependable support that helps us advocate yearround for the dignity and rights of incarcerated people and their families.
TO HONOR & REMEMBER
Making a tribute or memorial gift is a meaningful way to honor someone while making an impact on the community served by the Prison Society.
GIFTS OF STOCK
Donating appreciated stocks or securities can provide you with significant tax benefits while supporting our work.
PLANNED GIVING
Leave a legacy that will benefit future generations.
EMPLOYER
Many employers offer matching gift programs that can double—or even triple—your donation. Check with your employer to see if your gift qualifies and make your support go even further.
WE OFFER TREMENDOUS THANKS TO ALL THE FOUNDATIONS THAT HELPED FURTHER OUR CRITICAL WORK:
Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation
FISA Foundation
GlaxoSmithKline
Heinz Endowments
Henrietta Tower-Wurts Memorial Foundation
Howard Family Gift Fund
Impact100
IN MEMORIAM
This year, the Pennsylvania Prison Society honors the memory of several cherished members of our community who passed away:
Robert Blair, Bernard Granor, Harriet Kaylor, and Carole MacCullum.
Each of these people shared a deep commitment to justice, compassion, and the dignity of every person. Through their generosity, advocacy, and belief in our mission, they helped advance the Society’s enduring work to support incarcerated people and their families.
We are profoundly grateful for their service, their friendship, and their lasting impact on the Society and the communities we serve. Their legacy lives on in our continued efforts to create a more just and humane world.
If you know of someone important to the Prison Society community whom we may have unintentionally missed, please let us know so that we can honor their memory in the future.
Independence Foundation
Lenfest Journalism Foundation
Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation
MKM Foundation
Opportunity Fund
Pittsburgh Foundation
William Penn Foundation
Showing Up Stronger
The work we do across the state is funded in large part by the generosity of individual donors. Thank you for helping us show up stronger and make a lasting impact!
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HONORING 25 YEARS OF EDITORIAL EXCELLENCE
A Tribute to Dr. Rosemary Gido
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In 2025, the Pennsylvania Prison Society proudly recognizes Dr. Rosemary Gido for 25 years of extraordinary leadership as Editor of The Prison Journal.
Under Rosemary’s thoughtful guidance, The Prison Journal has remained one of the nation’s most respected publications on corrections, criminal justice, and reform. Her steadfast dedication to academic rigor and balanced discourse has helped ensure that the Journal continues to be an essential resource for practitioners, policymakers, scholars, and advocates alike.
Beyond her editorial excellence, Rosemary has been a trusted partner and advocate for the Society’s mission. Her commitment to elevating diverse voices and evidence-based perspectives has deepened understanding and inspired progress within the field.
We are deeply grateful for Rosemary’s decades of service, vision, and care. Her work has strengthened the bridge between research and practice, ensuring that The Prison Journal continues to inform, challenge, and guide those working to improve the criminal justice system.
From all of us at the Pennsylvania Prison Society— thank you, Rosemary, for 25 years of insight, integrity, and impact.
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Megan McDaniel
John McGuire
Christopher McKenzie
Lisa Meade
Ellen D. Melchiondo
Annemarie Millar
David L. Miller
Rebecca G. Mitchell
Pamela Moore
Zachary Moore
Mary Morales
Stephen Mory
Amanda Mouser
Andrew Mow
David Moyer
Jennifer Murphy
Delaney Mutchler-Mara
Laurence J. Mutti
Yvonne Newkirk
Lydia Newman
Michael Nicholson
James Nolan
Holly O’Connor-Hricko
Eric Ojerholm
Timothy Overton
Masara Paige
Elizabeth Parsons
Abdullah Pasha
Donald Payne
Joanne Perri
Joan M. Peters
Charles Picarella
Yvonne Platts
Joan Porter
Karla Porter
Kim Raiani
Vivek Rallabandi
Paula Ray
Robert Rhoades
Kathleen Rhodes
Anton Robinson
Sousan Robinson
Ryan Roe
John Rose
Joseph Roy
John Rush
Stephen E. Sands
Phoebe J. Schellenberg
Ernest Scott Jr.
Gail Scott
Elaine Selan
Paige Shellhammer
Stephen Shope
Marley Shropshire
Jane Siegel
Megan Sijapati
Katherine Skebeck
Ken Smeltzer
Judy Smith Young
Mary Sollenberger
Dorothy Speight
Nancy Spooner
Angela Stich
Richard P. Stokes
Lauren Strausser
Andrea Striepen
Donors
Patricia Stringer
Matthew Stroud
Joseph Sudano
Keith Sultzbaugh
Paul A. Swanger
Richard J. Swiat
Judy Swisher
Louis Taber
Phyllis B. Taylor
Linda Thomas
Patricia M. Thomas
Henry Thurston-Griswold
Sania Tildon
Mary Tomlinson
Magdalena Tsiongas
Don Umberger
Samantha Urbanick
Michael Vail
Sintora Vanderhorst
Toni Vanderhorst-Fullard
Efigenia Vazquez
Jenna Vella
Josephine Vidic
Robert Walden
Connease Warren
Lori Waselchuk
Maria Weick
Ronni Weiss
Michael west
Kathryn M. Whiteley
Arianna Williams
Martha Williams
Tonie Willis
Tabitha Winklebleck
Catherine Wise
Dana Wiser
Stephen Wiser
David Wolf
Howard Woodring
William Wray
Philip E. Yevics
David B. Young
Harold Thomas Zeager
Thomas P. Zeager
Chris Zweifel
Staff & Leadership
In FY25, we added roles that boost internal operations, including a Finance and Operations Manager, Helpline Manager, Data & Research Manager, Digital Media Manager, and Family & Community Supports Manager (Western PA). With 21 staff members by year-end, we’re more equipped than ever to deliver impact—thanks to the dedication of our team, supporters, and board.
STAFF
Claire Shubik-Richards, Executive Director
Noah Barth, Prison Monitoring Director
Emily Cheramie-Walz, Development Director
Kirstin Cornnell, Family and Community Support Director
Jena Croxford, Culture and Communications Director
Leigh Owens, Education and Advocacy Director
John Hargreaves, Senior Advisor
Dzemila Bilanovic, Prison Monitoring Manager (Eastern PA)
James-Brian Byers, Family and Community Support Manager (Western PA)
Angela Damiano, Prison Monitoring Manager (Western PA)
Matthew Githens, Finance Manager
Andrew Peifer, Family and Community Support Manager (Eastern PA)
Andres Perez Correa, Digital Media Manager
Jessica Reed, Prison Monitoring Manager (Central PA)
Dr. Emerson Waite, Data and Research Manager
Rachel Webster, Senior Finance and Operations Manager
Michael McKee, Helpline Manager
Connor Demchick, Development and Helpline Associate
David Meade, Graterfriends Associate
Joseph Robinson, Mentoring Coordinator
Cass Tilley, Prison Monitoring and Helpline Associate
Staff & Leadership
BOARD
PRESIDENT
Bradley Bridge, Retired Assistant Defender, Defender Association of Philadelphia
VICE PRESIDENT
Honorable Renée Cardwell Hughes, Retired Trial Judge, Court of Common Pleas
TREASURER
Matt Maron, Founder, Rittenyard
Capital
SECRETARY
Charity Hughes, Senior Vice President, Sellers Dorsey
Dana Becker, Partner, Morgan Lewis
Ashley Biden, Executive Director, Women’s Wellness SPA(ce)
Stefanie Christmas, Global Head of Inclusion & Impact, Inizio
Richard Garland, Founder and Executive Director, Reimagine Reentry
Stefan Johnson, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, City of Philadelphia
Representative Emily Kinkead, State Representative, 20th Legislative District (Allegheny County)
Raheem Manning, Director of Night Time Economy and Business Development, City of Philadelphia
James Nevels, Founder and Managing Partner of Unicorn Partners LLC
Kerri Park, Executive Director, Philadelphia Music Alliance
Simone Quinerly, CEO, Quinerly Financial Group
David Thornburgh, Chair, Ballot PA Action
Fatima Sultan, Culture & Engagement Lead, Vanguard
Su Ming Yeh, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project
CONSULTANT & CONTRACTOR SUPPORT
Jesse Brey
Donna Brown Cade
Catharine Conner
Sidney Evans
Andrew Goodman
Vania Miller
Sharon Navoney
John Newman
Joyce Snow
Jane Von Bergen
Every action counts and we’re counting on you.
TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH MORE.
DONATE and take a stand for human rights. Your contribution helps us tell the truth boldly, hold power to account, and care for our fellow citizens.
VOLUNTEER and join our work inside and outside of prisons. We offer a range of opportunities to fit your interests and availability.
PARTNER with us. Join our team of corporate partners to make an impact that is mutually beneficial to your company and the Prison Society.
FOLLOW our socials @prisonsociety to stay updated on our work and impact.
SUBSCRIBE to our weekly Supporter Updates for timely original reporting.