Did you know that more than 2 million people are currently in prison? Men and women of all ages and backgrounds are in prison for a variety of reasons, wishing they could connect with people outside and maintain human connections.
By volunteering as a prison penpal, you can connect with these inmates and create a meaningful relationship that will change their life and yours.
3 Ways Being a Prison Penpal Will Change Their Life and Yours
Don’t see the value in being a prison penpal? Here are 3 ways being a penpal can change their lives and yours.
It Can Show Both Parties a New View on Life
Often times, we surround ourselves with people who look and think like us. And while it’s great to share things in common with our peers, being surrounded by similar people prevents us from being exposed to new ideas and ways of life. By being a prison pen pal, you can get to know someone unlike you, learn their story, and see the world in a different way, which can truly change your perspective.
Given the diverse demographics of prison inmates, chances are you could get matched with someone from an entirely different state or racial background from you. You can talk about similarities and differences and learn about each other and more about how other people see the world.
It Can Make Both Parties Feel Less Lonely
Sometimes our lives can feel like they lack purpose, or we can feel lonely for reasons we can’t articulate. Many inmates feel the same way. One of the main benefits of being a penpal is you get to regularly communicate with someone and share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with them.
You can also show the inmate that there’s someone from the outside world cares about them, which is extremely important for people who don’t have family or friends visiting them in jail. By engaging in this type of communication, you can be a source of friendship and comfort for someone in desperate need of those things, which will only make you feel less lonely in the long run.
It Can Provide Both Parties with Hope
If someone is serving time in a correctional facility, chances are they feel a little hopeless or worry that they’ll never be able to have a successful life on the outside. By being a prison penpal, you can encourage these people and give them a source of hope that can get them through their sentence. This is especially important for people who have been wrongly incarcerated because they lacked a good legal advisor or required to serve extremely long prison sentences.
Your penpal can also give you a sense of hope by putting your life’s struggles into perspective. They can remind you of everything you have going on in the outside world, and act as a source of hope as well.
Final Thoughts on Being a Prison Penpal
If you’re looking to give back and forge a friendship with someone in need, you should become a penpal to a prisoner. This relationship can provide perspective, comfort, and hope to both parties involved, and truly change their lives for the better. If you’re interested in being a penpal but not sure where to start, Black and Pink is a great place to start.
Do you have a friend or family member in need of bail bond assistance or legal help? Contact us today!
