This past Tuesday I volunteered at the Prison Book Program, currently located in the basement of the United First Parish Church in Quincy, MA. Prisoners from around the country send the program letters asking for books on various subjects. The volunteers read the letters and attempt to choose books that meet the prisoners’ criteria. Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible to give the inmate what it is they looking for. They sometimes pick subjects that aren’t commonly stocked in the library which consist entirely of donated books.

Another really interesting aspect is the church that this organization operates in. The United First Parish Church is the church that the Adams family, as in the second U.S. president John Adams and sixth U.S. president John Quincy Adams, the first father-son presidential family, attended. Their tombs are actually located under the church. While there one of the members of the Prison Book Program gave us an impromptu tour, but during the Spring, Summer, and Fall they have regular tours through the church which expunges greater detail about the history of the Adams family and the United First Parish Church.

I definitely suggest taking the opportunity to participate in the Prison Book Program and visiting the church.

• Awesome Song of the Moment: "Think (Instrumental)" by Curtis Mayfield

This entry was posted on Friday, November 23rd, 2007 at 9:47 am and is filed under Volunteering. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.