Great Falls Books Through Bars End of Year Report MMXX   So I don't know about you, but for us here at Great Falls Books Through Bars, 2020 was a pretty normal year.    Just kidding!    But really, "normal" is such a subjective construct that in many ways the events of the last year, while affecting different people in different ways, have given all of humanity many more shared experiences and points of reference than we usually have to reflect on at the turning of the year. Some of the most impactful of those shared experiences, the ones that spring to mind immediately, are heartbreaking: the coronavirus pandemic and the continuing violence of the state against Black people. Although it's disturbing to see how many people are still in denial about the realities of the virus and systemic racism, it's been really wonderful to see how many more have taken notice, put aside self-centered convenience, and made the choice to be brave. Amid the pandemic, people have found new ways to care for each other when many of the familiar ways became impossible. The size, diversity, lucidity, and ubiquity of the uprisings against police violence have been inspiring. Struggles for freedom are exhausting, but the necessary energy is renewed and amplified, again and again, because it is shared.    The shared experience of working on this project has been really important for those of us in the Books Through Bars organizing collective. We've felt really driven to continue our efforts to support people who are incarcerated, whose situation is made even more grim than usual by the pandemic, and doing that work together has helped sustain us in this trying time.    Starting in March, we had to suspend our monthly volunteer days. At first we didn't know how we were going to keep up with all the letters we were getting. But little by little, we figured it out. Since we couldn't all be in the same place at once, we started taking turns. One or two people at a time would go to the space, with masks on, to sort donated books, read letters, pick out books to send, write notes, and pack them up. Someone else might come in a couple days later and take a turn, and someone else a week after that. We kept each other updated on what we were doing, and cheered each other on from a distance. Before long, we were getting as much done each month as in the pre-COVID glory days.     We really missed meeting and talking with the ever-changing crew of people who had been showing up for the past three years, so we figured out how to do online volunteer days. This was not a way we’d be able to select and pack books, of course, but it became a great opportunity for conversation and learning, and a time for sharing questions and ideas while writing letters to political prisoners. We’ll keep this up as long as the pandemic lasts, and perhaps longer, as it is a valuable way for people to be involved from wherever they are.    Later in the summer, as it became a little clearer what kinds of precautions were effective, we planned an outdoor, in-person work day at Just Roots Farm. Volunteers signed up for a limited number of spots, and worked at tables under tents spread across a field, with a hand-washing station in the middle. Everybody wore masks and stayed far apart. Collective members had selected books ahead of time to match requests in the letters, because volunteers wouldn't be able to search the shelves of our subterranean lair, so each table was equipped with bundles of books and letters, invoices to fill out (with space for a note on the back), envelopes, and lots of packing tape. After a successful book-packing day in August, we organized another one in October. This time we did a better job of orienting everybody to the process at the beginning of each shift, and built a fire so everyone would have a chance to warm up. We had to cancel a third work day in November due to the weather forecast, but that possibility had seemed worth gambling on because we were excited to have one more opportunity to connect with people locally, as well as those who write to us from all over the country. <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54924612_1615861687517569_r.jpeg" alt="54924612_1615861687517569_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />    Throughout the year, we sent informational pamphlets about reducing the risks of the coronavirus. In crowded prisons with little access to cleaning supplies or personal protective gear, information can only do so much, but we got a lot of letters from people who really appreciated receiving it. Here are some quotes:   I pray this letter finds you all and your families in the best of health and spirits in these trying times.  I feel like the world is coming to an end.  I just hope we can overcome this, thousands are dying. New Boston, TX 4/3/2020   We are stuck in here awaiting the next lax individual to come to work and contaminate one of us in this contained and restrictive environment.  On top of that, they suspended our normal commissary, in which we could purchase vitamins and cleaning supplies, for a whole month.  They’ve recently re-opened the canteen with limits on everything and amount you can spend ($15).  We’ve been eating cold sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly this entire time.  Scrumptious!  As for what they give us to sanitize out cells: a weekly paper cup of toilet powder and our doors sprayed with bleach every other day.  Doesn’t that sound so refreshing.  As of right now, there are only 75 inmates and 25 officers infected.  They just tested the whole unit.  All those who were sick have gotten better, yet what about when they let us off lockdown?  The rate will skyrocket. Tennessee Colony, TX 5/27/2020   You might have heard about us, because we have been on the news concerning our massive Covid-19 outbreak, with over 600 infected now.  In addition to the fact that our library has been closed for 12 months now, we have been on a quarantine lockdown for 8 weeks as of today, with no discernible end in sight.  They will not even allow us to purchase books by mail using our inmate trust fund account. Tennessee Colony, TX 6/3/2020   Thank you for the Covid-19 for prisoners zine!  I have shared it with a number of other inmates in here who have found it very helpful.  Of course, there’s only so much we can do when CO’s aren’t wearing masks and we can’t socially distance, but hey, anything helps.  Hope you have all stayed healthy and are still sane and safe! N Elmhurst, NY 6/9/2020   I also appreciate the booklet on Covid-19 and how it affects people incarcerated...it surprised me how much more benefits other state prisons are getting.  The unit I’m in gives us no cleaning supplies, they feed us barely more than 6 sandwiches a day if that, and we have only been given one phone call and no visits since going on medical lockdown a little over 30 days ago.  Conditions got so bad that we’re organizing a hunger strike.  I’ll let yall know how that works out.  The booklet yall sent said you were interested in hearing conditions in other prisons so I just figured I’d tell yall. New Boston, TX 6/1/2020 I hope and pray this request finds you all well during this time of trial and tribulation.  We have been locked down for almost 100 days but here in the low [-security unit] that is not as bad as they have it over there at the medium.  Alas, it does mean none of us have been working. Forrest City, AR 6/10/2020 I also want to thank you for finding me at the right time; because of the Covid-19 they’re keeping me in a cell 24/7. Corcoran, CA 6/15/2020 Since March we have been stuck in our cells due to the pandemic 21 out of 24 hours a day.  Our library is closed and there has been no assistance in getting any reading materials. Bedford Hills, NY 6/16/2020 We have already been on a 50 day quarantine and don’t look like it’s getting any better. Tennessee Colony, TX 6/17/2020   Thank you for providing me the great books and the info about the virus.  TDC [Texas Department of Corrections] has provided us with some material/info on how to avoid the virus.  I can't say the administration or the unit's staff are really looking out for our best interest.  All the officers do is walk by our cells and see if we are in our cells.  No officers or shift supervisors make any rounds to see if anyone is sick.  The unit I'm at has been on lockdown since April 9th.  For meals, breakfast is a peanut butter and jelly, an egg, and some prunes/raisins, lunch a meat sandwich and peanut butter and jelly, the same for dinner- meat sandwich and peanut butter and jelly.  Maybe once a week- not a for sure thing- we maybe get milk and a cereal.  We have only made 1 phone call at the end of March.  No visits, no commissary purchases, no medical/sick calls (unless you complain about having virus symptoms).  Mail is coming a week later than usual.  Yes I know a lot of this is new territory, but in reality this is giving the administration a reason to deprive us of what little we can have afforded to us.  Most of the staff gets joy of not giving us hot meals, visitation, and recreation.  Also a lot of has to do with an individual's own behavior and actions.  But you should know if 1 or 3 act out, it's usually everyone must suffer for the few fools.  This pod has the most major use of force.  In the last 5 months it's close to 15 [incidents].  On other pods they may have 2 or 3 in 6 months.  So you can see this pod is very hectic and is very problematic for staff. Amarillo, TX 7/15/2020   We got checked last week it hurt cause they stuck this long straw up my nose nearly touched my brain -- haha but yeah it hurt and we all got checked so that's good. Jamestown, CA 7/15/2020   As you know we have had a huge rise in covid 19 here in the south.  But we're maintaining.  Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Tennessee Colony, TX 7/23/2020   They're currently not doing the library at the prison I'm in due to the virus. Asheville, NC 7/28/2020   Unfortunately we have been on lockdown due to the corona virus pandemic and as a result of that our access to the library has become exponentially restricted. Dallas, TX 7/29/2020   Yes it sucks here thanks for asking.  Especially with the coronavirus running rampant.  Been there, done that and bought the t-shirt.  I had one of the first cases, back in March.  All I wanted to do was sleep for a month. . . .  AnyCoronaway, since life's not too hot right now with everyone getting sick around me I'm looking for some funny, morbid reading material… Thanks for trying to bring up my spirits.  I hope you are able to fill out this request before the pandemic kills you (a little irony).   Beaumont, TX 8/4/2020   Due to Covid-19 we are staying on our units and wearing masks.  I really need something to read. Sayre, OK 8/13/2020   <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54924612_1615861812379090_r.jpeg" alt="54924612_1615861812379090_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" /> The books were and are in good need due to the fact that because of the pandemic this facility is on lockdown.  And books are a good source of distraction of this constant isolation...we have been in this situation for months now so we have no ways or options on getting to the library...we keep getting tested for the covid19 and more and more inmates have been coming out positive.  So we keep staying on lockdown. Repesa, CA   We are locked down due to covid crisis so we have no library. Ocala, FL 9/21/2020   Covid is not nice and it don't play. Huntsville, TX 9/21/2020   There's no TVs in our cells and under the covid19 we spent 23 hours a day on lockdown so we read a lot here.  So thank you for your blessings and covid19 info...as for myself I've been sick, I know I'm high risk, I have chronic health problems...I've been in the hospital twice last month and this month for pneumonia and shortness of breath ...I'm scared of covid19. CA City, CA 9/25/2020   I got sick for a few weeks.  Sucked.  Library is still closed, 7 months now, so books are precious, more than ever.  Thank you for what you do. Seagoville, TX 10/19/2020      Some of the letters we get are brief, businesslike, and to the point, but many of them are really touching and poignant, some are funny, and all of them give us a glimpse into the lives and personalities of individual human beings who the state wants us to fear or to forget, whichever is politically convenient at the moment. The long list of quotes above has been edited down from a longer list, selected from letters that dealt specifically with the pandemic. Please forgive the redundancies; in this time when there's only a small group of us reading the letters, we wanted you to see a little of what we feel so privileged to see.    In addition to our main activity of sending books, we've been up to a handful of other things you might be interested in knowing about.    We collaborated with two other groups to mail information to people in prison about government stimulus checks that many of them were entitled to, since very few were properly informed about that opportunity and what steps they needed to take.    We sent letters and cards to people incarcerated after recent uprisings, as well as some who have been held longer-term for principled resistance activity.    In collaboration with the Liyang Network, which supports indigenous people facing government violence in the Philippines, we participated in an online event about political prisoners in Philippines and US.    With a grant from the Montague Cultural Council, we were able to pay an honorarium to a guest speaker who joined us for an online film screening and discussion about internet security.    We have beautiful calendars available now, designed and printed by a collective member. Get in touch if you're interested.    Our website has been updated to feature a new zine section. This is a collection of short booklets that we keep in print, including a new one, “We Can Do This”, written by three collective members who presented a workshop in February, one of our last in-person public events before the big shutdown.     In 2020 we sent 4,138 books and zines, in 1,062 packages. Our record keeping is not 100% perfect, but here’s a breakdown of the money that came in and the money that went out. Our greatest expense by far is postage. We spent $3,483.16 to mail all those books to people, and $118.00 to rent a post office box so they could keep writing to us. Invoices, zines, COVID information, and other printing needs added up to $887.70. For other necessities, like envelopes, packing tape, markers, cleaning supplies, and more packing tape, we spent at least $286.02, probably quite a bit more. Comic books are frequently-requested and rarely-donated items, so we decided it was worthwhile to buy some of those in bulk for $40.00. Reliable legal information is even more rare, so we jumped at the opportunity to order a bunch of copies of a legal primer that the Prison Book Program (a long-running group in Quincy, MA) prints every year. That was $167.50. La Mariposa, the collective that runs the building where we do our work, has been letting us use the basement and a storefront rent-free since about the middle of 2016. That is an incredible gift. They are still not asking us to pay rent, but now that we’re a little more established, we are attempting to reciprocate with some financial support for this crucial space for organizing. We gave them $1650.00 in 2020, and intend to do more this year. <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54924612_1615861928314260_r.jpeg" alt="54924612_1615861928314260_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />    In order to do all that, we had to have some money coming in, and it’s been remarkable to see how many people enthusiastically support this project. We received several grants. Some we applied for, and others, amazingly, happened just because the groups that provide them had heard about what we do. The Peace Development Fund gave $2000, Provisions Northampton gave $460, Hull House gave $1000, and Aiden King and the Quincy-based Prison Book Program gave $2500. Outside of formal grants, two collective members donated $2000 on top of the work they contribute, and another individual donor gave $200. Our Patreon fundraiser, which allows people to sign up to give recurring monthly donations, netted $1001.26 over the course of the year.     We are so grateful for all the help we’ve received. The money allows us to cover expenses, and every donation, of whatever size, boosts our morale by showing that there is yet another person who believes in treating everyone with dignity while striving for a world without prisons. Thank you!    If you have the desire and the ability to donate, there are several ways to do so.  GoFundMe is great for quick one-time donations.  Or you can venmo us at @GFBTB.    We also have a Patreon where you can sign up to donate regularly (as low as $3 a month) – find that at www.patreon.com/gfbtb/.    We finally got a bank account, so we can also take checks made payable to Great Falls Books Through Bars and mailed to PO Box 391, Greenfield, MA 01302. And when it’s okay to shake hands again, you can sneak us a little cash when we run into each other.   If you'd like to donate books, check out our website at www.greatfallsbooksthroughbars.org/ for some details about acceptable materials or email us at [email redacted].  You can help us buy some much-needed books when you check out our wish list at massivebookshop.com/collections/gfbtbs-wishlist, hosted by a great local bookstore.   To stay up to date on what we're doing, be sure to check us out on facebook and instagram.  And if you're not yet on our mailing list, you can sign up here: <a href="https://www.greatfallsbooksthroughbars.org/contact/." target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.greatfallsbooksthroughbars.org/contact/.</a>    Well, this has been a long message, hasn't it? Thanks for taking the time to read it, if you did indeed read it all. If you skipped to the end, we mainly wanted to send warm winter greetings to you -- our friends, family, neighbors, volunteers, and benefactors. We appreciate you so much, and look forward to seeing you all more in the year ahead. <img src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/54924612_1615861736227599_r.jpeg" alt="54924612_1615861736227599_r.jpeg" width="100%" media_type="3" />

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Great Falls Books Through Bars 2021

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Great Falls Books Through Bars 2021

Still $1,107 to go. Help us build momentum.