Aunt Mary's Storybook Project

 “Hi, Michael.  How are you my sweet baby?  This is your mama. I miss you so much.”  So begins a tape recording from Michael’s mother who is incarcerated in the Kentucky Correctional Institute for Women located in Pewee Valley.  Michael’s mother continues the tape by reading a carefully selected book to him.  Michael needs to know his mother’s love continues and that she is safe.

‘When a mother goes to prison, usually it is her children who suffer most. Maternal imprisonment affects future generations because children’s psychological health and sense of family is severely damaged by the separation from their mothers.” - Aunt Mary’s Storybook Project website.   

How aunt mary’s storybook project works

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. The

mother then tape - 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 care - giver.   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 Sandy Wood 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 AuntMary’s storybook project

Call Sandy Wood, Volunteer Coordinator at the St. Francis parish office.  She will help you take the next step.

Call 228-1176