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Each quarter, on a Saturday morning, a group of women volunteers from St. Francis visits the correctional facility in Pewee Valley. Each volunteer helps an inmate to select an age- and culturally-appropriate book that fits each of her children's experience and needs. Each mother then records a personal message, and as if she were physically next to her child, reads the book. Often she will end with a message of love and thanks to the caregiver. The volunteers send the books and tapes to the children on behalf of the mother.
What it Takes to Be a Volunteer
No specific experience is necessary; you will be trained to help select appropriate books and to facilitate the session. In the Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project, you will be serving in a very special way.
You will help reassure children with the voice of their mother at a very vulnerable point in their lives. You will also help promote literacy and a positive experience with reading between mother and child. More likely than not, these mothers cannot afford any other gifts for their children.
“When I was in the facility with our volunteers and the inmates, I could feel the complex and deep emotions, especially love that these women were communicating to their children on an audiotape. Most mothers take for granted the simple and intimate act of reading to her child. It was very moving.” - The Reverend Deborah Apoldo, Associate for Evangelism and Discipleship at St. Francis.
Special Projects
At Christmas time, St. Francis sponsors a book collection effort to gather a range of suitable books for children. Your contributions of books or money can help insure that enough books are available for every mother and her pre-school to middle school aged children.
In addition to the current program, St. Francis is very interested in creating a companion Dad’s Project to accomplish the same objectives for male inmates and their children. Only male volunteers are needed. Please contact the parish office at the number below if you are interested.
The Truth About Outreach Ministries
The truth about outreach ministries is that when God calls us to love our neighbor through service, we not only further His kingdom on earth, we ourselves are transformed. With Aunt Mary’s Storybook project you will know God is served when you help make a much-needed connection between a mother and her child.
How to Get Started Volunteering for Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project
Contact Laura Crawford at 502-384-8497, or call the St. Francis parish office at 502-228-1176.
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