A Year of Showing Up
This year, showing up meant answering more calls, sitting with more people inside, reconnecting more families, winning back transportation, and expanding our presence across Pennsylvania.
FY26 Impact Report
A message from our Executive Director
This year, we answered 8,300 calls and letters through our Helpline, sat with thousands of people inside prisons and jails, and — after six years of pushing — put families back on buses to visit the people they love.
Behind every number in this report is a person: a mother who learned her son was okay, a father who got to hug his child, someone inside who knew they had been heard. This work is possible because of our staff, volunteers, partners, donors, and supporters.
Thank you for making it happen.
Claire Shubik-Richards
More people turned to us than ever before.
8,300
People assisted through the Helpline
(up from 6,011 in FY25)
3,370
Incarcerated people met with a volunteer prison monitor
(up from 3,000 in FY25)
312
Family visits made on 9 bus trips
(most since the pandemic)
200
Building Connection sessions across 5 facilities
(up from 50 in 2 facilities)
29
Prison monitoring tours to observe and document conditions
(Increased 24% in FY26)
120
Loved ones joined our virtual family support groups
When we listen and work together with people living and working in prisons, real change is possible. Letters like this remind us of the difference listening, advocacy, and action can make in improving conditions for everyone inside.
The Year in Numbers
At an event hosted by the Brennan Center for Justice and Vera Institute of Justice, the Prison Society joined advocates from across the country to discuss prison conditions and ways to improve them.
We joined the Committee of Seventy's anniversary celebration alongside partners working to help more eligible voters in Pennsylvania's prisons exercise their right to vote.
At one of our volunteer mentor trainings, staff prepared volunteers to help people make successful transitions home after incarceration.
Our Family and Community Support team launched a new women's Building Connections program at the Allegheny County Jail to help women prepare for life after incarceration.
Staff and volunteers gathered after SCI Smithfield's Day of Responsibility, where nearly 150 incarcerated people shared reflections on making amends and contributing to their communities.
Families boarded our new bus route to SCI Somerset and SCI Laurel Highlands, making it easier for loved ones to stay connected. The expanded service was made possible by state funding.
A year of advocacy
brought the buses back.
Some of our buses leave as early as 4 a.m., traveling four hours so families can visit their loved ones face-to-face.
A
major
win for families.
Six years since the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections stopped its long-standing funding, the Prison Society's family bus program was restored. Supporters across Pennsylvania contacted legislators, shared our message, and spoke up for the importance of keeping families connected.
Within days of the budget passing, we added 18 more Philadelphia trips, with Pittsburgh routes starting in FY ’27.
Showing Up For Families
What getting there meant
“I was so amazed and happy to find the Prison Society bus service. Without it, I’d spend $200–$300 to visit my loved one or drive six hours for a one-hour visit. This service is truly a blessing.”
— Family member from Philadelphia
“Riding with [the Prison Society] allows you a longer visit with your loved one and that’s the best part for me because it’s extremely far and inconvenient to only have a 3 hr visit after a 4 hr drive. Riding with the Prison Society makes the trips worthwhile.”
— SCI Somerset/Laurel Highlands bus rider from Philadelphia
“I thank your organization for the opportunity to visit my loved one at an SCI facility. The service to set up the trip was [simple] and the representative was very patient and informative. I would recommend your services to others who may need a ride to an approved SCI facility.”
— Bus rider from Philadelphia
The Impact of Showing Up
More than 3,000 times last year, a Prison Society volunteer sat down with someone incarcerated or recently returned home. Those visits can mean listening to a concern, helping a family get answers, identifying issues that need attention to improve conditions inside, or mentoring someone as they prepare to transition home. Sometimes, it’s simply making sure someone inside knows they have not been forgotten.
Meet A Few Volunteers
Dion Deans
Philadelphia County · Mentor · 11 years
“This work is important because it gives people a real chance to change direction. When individuals have access to mentorship, structure, and support, it creates a ripple effect, impacting families, communities, and future generations in a positive way.”
Lawson Schultz
Philadelphia County · Mentor · 6 months
“I volunteer with the Prison Society because I want to support my community, which includes folks that have been incarcerated or impacted by the carceral system. I believe we all deserve support and the opportunity to thrive.”
Chris McKenzie
Greene County · Prison Monitor · 1 year
“One thing that people should know about this work is that it truly does matter. I've seen through my volunteer experience the positive effects that we can have on the lives of people who are incarcerated, their families, and our communities. It can make a real difference.”
Destiny Brown
Dauphin County · Prison Monitor · 8 years
“When I think of prison work, I think of giving, supporting, and listening to get the job done. Always remember this person could be you or your loved one.”
Powered by People Who Show Up
A healthy democracy must include people who are in prison.
Many people assume incarceration means losing your right to vote but many people held in Pennsylvania's county jails are eligible to vote, yet practical barriers and confusion about the process can keep them from participating.
This year, we took voter education directly inside jails in Fayette, Butler, Washington, and Philadelphia counties, reaching approximately 700 potential eligible voters through four workshops. We also produced a printed voter guide, hosted public webinars, brought together more than a dozen organizations for a press conference at the Philadelphia jails, and surveyed Wardens statewide to identify gaps in voting access.
This year, we took voter education directly inside jails in Fayette, Butler, Washington, and Philadelphia counties, reaching approximately 700 potential eligible voters through four workshops. We also produced a printed voter guide, hosted public webinars, brought together more than a dozen organizations for a press conference at the Philadelphia jails, and surveyed Wardens statewide to identify gaps in voting access.
700 eligible voters reached
Next year
We'll build on this work with partners and correctional facilities to make voting information and processes clearer and more consistent across Pennsylvania.
This work was made possible by the William Penn Foundation and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
Showing Up for Democracy
More people reached, in more places across the Commonwealth.
Earned Media
53 → 110 mentions
+50% increase
Website
37,066 → 79,000 unique visitors
More than doubled year over year
Social Media
10,833 → 11,945 followers
+10% audience growth
Building a stronger presence in Western Pennsylvania.
FY26 brought the Prison Society its first Western Pennsylvania Regional Director, along with new Pittsburgh-based staff and contractors, significantly strengthening our presence in the western part of the Commonwealth.
That added capacity on the ground gives us a stronger foundation to build relationships, recruit and support volunteers, respond to families, and bring more of our work closer to the communities we serve in Western Pennsylvania.
That added capacity on the ground gives us a stronger foundation to build relationships, recruit and support volunteers, respond to families, and bring more of our work closer to the communities we serve in Western Pennsylvania.
Support from FISA Foundation, Hillman Family Foundations, Opportunity Fund, and The Pittsburgh Foundation helped make this expansion possible.
Showing Up Across PA
Our volunteer prison monitors outside the Allegheny County Jail. Across Pennsylvania, our volunteers visit people in prisons and jails, listen to their concerns, and help address issues.
Staff, board members, and supporters came together for Broadway's The Fear of 13, a powerful story about the human impact of incarceration.
We accompanied State Representatives Jennifer O'Mara and Heather Boyd on a visit to George W. Hill Correctional Facility, giving lawmakers a firsthand look at conditions inside.
The Prison Society was honored at the Central PA Dr. Martin Luther King Banquet for our work to advance justice and human dignity.
At the launch of the Dying on the Inside podcast, we helped draw attention to the growing number of people aging in prison and the challenges they face accessing medical care and pathways to release.
Our monthly Hope Alive meetings brought people returning home from incarceration together to share experiences, support one another, and build community.
The Fear of 13 introduced the Prison Society to a new audience.
While preparing for her role in the Broadway play Fear of 13, actress Tessa Thompson found the Prison Society — her character's work mirrors what our monitoring volunteers do — and reached out to understand it firsthand. She met with our team, spoke with staff about the volunteer experience, and became a supporter.
As the show prepared to end its run, Ms. Thompson and the Fear of 13 team hosted an evening for our staff, volunteers, board, and supporters — and produced a pro-bono video, shared with the show's audience, that introduced many new people to the Society.
As the show prepared to end its run, Ms. Thompson and the Fear of 13 team hosted an evening for our staff, volunteers, board, and supporters — and produced a pro-bono video, shared with the show's audience, that introduced many new people to the Society.
A Wider Stage For Our Work
Total revenue: $2,794,103
Revenue
87%
Grants
9%
Individual donations
4%
Program revenue
Expenditures
65%
Programs
7%
Fundraising
28%
Administration
“Our financial strength puts us in a position to think bigger about what’s possible. By investing wisely and building for the future, we’re growing our statewide presence and strengthening our ability to show up for more people and families across Pennsylvania.”
— Matthew Maron, Board Treasurer
FY26 Financials
The Year Ahead
Keep Showing Up With Us
Every action—giving, volunteering, speaking up, or staying connected—helps us show up for people and families impacted by incarceration.
Help make this work possible.
Show up where it matters.
Stay connected to the work.
This year we said goodbye to friends who gave decades to this work.
Remembering Those Who Showed Up
Thank you to the people who make this work possible.
- Dana Becker
- Ashley Biden
- Bradley Bridge
- Stefanie Christmas
- Richard Garland
- Charity Hughes
- Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes
- Stefan Johnson
- Representative Emily Kinkead
- Raheem Manning
- Matthew Maron
- James Nevels
- Kerri Park
- Simone Quinerly
- David Thornburgh
- Fatima Sultan
- Su Ming Yeh
- Claire Shubik-Richards, Executive Director
- Noah Barth, Prison Monitoring Director
- Maeve Pollack, Development Director
- Emily Cheramie Walz, Development Director
- Kirstin Cornnell, Family and Community Support Director
- Jena Croxford, Culture and Communications Director
- Matthew Dugan, Western Region Director
- Leigh Owens, Education and Advocacy Director
- John Hargreaves, Senior Advisor
- Dzemila Bilanovic, Prison Monitoring Manager (Eastern PA)
- James-Brian Byers, Family and Community Support Manager (Western PA)
- Angela Damiano, Prison Monitoring Manager (Western PA)
- Mathew Gitthens, Finance Manager
- Andrew Peifer, Family and Community Support Manager (Eastern PA)
- Andres Perez Correa, Digital Media Manager
- Jessica Reed, Prison Monitoring Manager (Central PA)
- Emerson Waite, Data and Research Manager
- Rachel Webster, Senior Finance and Operations Manager
- Michael McKee, Helpline Manager
- Connor Demchick, Development and Helpline Associate
- Ryan Heuster, Prison Monitoring and Helpline Associate
- David Meade, Graterfriends Associate
- Joseph Robinson, Mentoring Coordinator
- Emma Brown
- Aaliyah Burton
- Dorisbel Dominguez
- Elvina Kamara
- Michelle Ko
- Mariah Littlejohn
- Finn Liu
- Cece Moldovan
- Simon Ndi
- Mackenzie Shultz
- Delia Tilsdale
- Maggie Vergenes
- Maya Wallace
- Jesse Brey
- Jesse Budd
- Donna Brown Cade
- Jordyn Clark
- Deborah Crocker
- Sidney Evans
- Emma Famili
- Kailyn Fischer-Schneider
- Jose Garth
- Milliron Goodman
- Andy Hoover
- Alayna Hutchinson
- Elizabeth Keeney
- Vania Miller
- John Newman
- Justine Olderman
- Amy Opsasnick
- Megan Remsen
- Joyce Snow
- Jane Von Bergen
- VIM Collaborative/Andy Mozenter
- Your Part Time Controller/Julia McManus, Elizabeth Cooney
- FISA Foundation
- MKM Foundation
- Hillman Family Foundations
- Opportunity Fund
- Pittsburgh Foundation
- Howard Family Gift Fund
- William Penn Foundation
- Independence Foundation
- Dolfinger McMahon Foundation
- Centre Gives
Showing Up Together
Founded at the nation's birth. Needed as much as ever.
In 1787, as the country itself was being formed, Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Benjamin Rush founded the Society on a belief: that people behind bars keep their dignity, and someone should be there to defend it. Two hundred and thirty-eight years later, we remain the only fully independent organization with legal authority to go inside every one of Pennsylvania's prisons and jails — and in a system under strain, that access matters more than it ever has.
Showing Up Since 1787
ABOUT US
