MOTHER'S/FATHER'S VOICE
The Mother's/Father's Voice Program allows incarcerated mothers and fathers of young children to record a story on a video. The child receives the video and book as a gift from their parent. The child can then watch the video of his/her parent reading while following along in the book. Birthday and holiday cards may also be included to celebrate milestones in their child's life. This provides a sense of closeness between the parent and the child that would otherwise not be possible and promotes the importance of reading. Volunteers are vital to this program's success!
Commitment: Volunteers sign up for dates in advance; Two volunteers are assigned to each session; 8:00AM-11:00AM, Friday mornings at the Berks County Jail.
Requirements: Berks County Jail volunteer clearance, Jail orientation and individual training with Connections Work Volunteer Coordinator.
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Development@ConnectionsWork.org.
“This miracle is my way of reaching out when all other communication fails.” - Elias
The Mother's/Father's Voice Program
Meet some of the moms...
“I really appreciate the Mother’s Voice Program due to me not being able to have visits with my children, because of Mother’s Voice they were still able to see me and they really loved it. “ – Tinderly
“Being incarcerated has changed my life. Being a part of Mother’s Voice has helped me to communicate with my children who have been doing well mentally. Being a part from them has made me realize that as a parent I have to make better choices. With Mother’s Voice they can see and hear me and see that I’m ok. I miss my children and being a part of this program has helped ease the pain even if it’s just a little. Thank you for letting me be a part of Mother’s Voice.” - Liz
“Well, I want to start off by saying Mother’s Voice is what I look forward to every Friday. I’m up early doing my hair, so I can read to my babies. Mother’s Voice is the only way my babies can get to see me because my babies are with my mom and sister in New York and my mom can’t make it all the way down here because she’s really sick. My babies love seeing me read to them. The best part of Mother’s Voice is when it’s one of my kids birthday, I get to send them a beautiful card along with the book and video. Last week I read to by baby Jocelyn for her 8th birthday and she loved it and was so happy when she received it. I just want to say thank you so much for allowing us mothers to get the chance to read to our babies. My kids are my world and I don’t want them to think I forgot about them because I’m in prison. Mother’s Voice is the best.” - Gladys
Meet some of the dads...
“The Father’s Voice program is a blessing because I can have a chance to show my daughter that I am a proud and loving father even in a bad time of my life. I pick a book that she can watch and read along with me while we are apart. I know she is happy, because when she comes to visit me she tells me to pick a book for next time and has a smile on her face. She can just put the DVD in anytime and read along with me, which allows her to feel my love as if I was there with her. I thank the Father’s Voice program for giving me the chance to share my thoughts and feelings – thank you to all who make it possible!” - Timothy
“Father’s Voice is a great opportunity for me to share a part of myself with my child. Having the ability to see and hear me is one of the greatest gifts that I can give to my child right now. I am very thankful for the Father’s Voice program.” - Ryan
“I believe the Father’s Voice program is a really good program for both the children of inmates and the inmate himself. For one, it gives us something to look forward to doing for the kids and remind the kids that daddy is still around. Also, I believe it helps the kids at home struggling with not being able to see daddy or hear their father’s voice daily. The children’s mother can just pop the video in and let the kid read along with daddy to give them that special feeling of their father reading to them. My kids look forward to the books and videos that I have sent home thru the program. Thank you for giving us something special to do for our little ones.” - Michael
“I’m very grateful for Father’s Voice. It keeps me close to my little boy and baby girl, heart and mind. It helps me keep my love alive in their eyes. It’s unforgettable!” - Fernando
