Holiday and Mutual Aid Canteen Drive

We're launching an ambitious campaign to deposit $50 in each of our 150 incarcerated members' canteen accounts. We need to raise about $8,500 to cover the deposits and associated fees charged by AccessCorrections. We also need a multitude of volunteers to be "depositors." This is a critical component of this campaign because AccessCorrections limits how many unique individuals a person can make deposits for. We can either reimburse you or you can make deposits as a donation. If you can't do either of those, feel free to support this campaign by re-sharing with your networks on social media, with friends, your church, or work. 

As of November there are COVID outbreaks in at least 4 different prisons or jails (Worcester, Essex, Middlesex, MCI-Concord). We are sure that as winter approaches more outbreaks will take take hold. We also know that guards are the main carrier for COVID, with many refusing to take the vaccine or falsifying "attestation" forms saying they were vaccinated (there is no way to verify these forms). In the early days of COVID19 in the US, Black and Pink Massachusetts (formerly Black and Pink Boston) and #Deeper Than Water sprang into action to support our incarcerated and formerly incarcerated members in MA prisons and jails, providing funds to purchase soap and sanitizer in prison and resources to maintain safer housing in the free world. We are back it!

The ultimate goal is and always will be total decarceration and the abolition of the carceral state. In the meantime there are millions of people around the country who won’t be allowed to come home. With new strains of COVID, breakthrough cases, and a population of guards refusing vaccination, the threat of COVID19 is far from over. Our people need mutual aid support more than ever-- to continue health and safety purchases, to provide funds that cover the costs of communicating with loved ones in the holiday season, and to prevent the evictions of released members struggling with employment and income.

 

It's also the holiday season for many people. These times are some of the hardest for incarcerated people. The weather is cold, seasonal depression sets in, and people are away from their loved ones when they need them most. Prison and jails are hateful places and the holiday season is no different --except it hits a little harder in the heart during the holiday season. Let's all put together as a community to show some love to our inside people!!!

How can you help now?

 

If you only have a moment, please donate to this GoFundMe. All money that is donated will go directly to mutual aid efforts, supporting the incarcerated members of Black and Pink MA. What is left over will continue supporting our organizations as a whole through programming-- right now, housing is a major need among those released. Your donations will carry the members of Black and Pink MA through the winter holidays and into the new year.

Sign up to be a depositor by filling out this simple form here . We will follow up with thorough instructions and we have a team ready to support you. We will get in touch with you with instructions, names, and contact info. We will then reimburse volunteers directly; just send us a receipt and a way to reimburse you (Venmo, Paypal, Cash App, etc). This will help us expedite the process of getting supplies directly to the people who need it.

 

The state has failed and will continue to fail to protect the health and well-being of our loved ones inside jails and prisons. We will continue to step up as a community to provide what the state refuses to provide. Please join us.