Chrysalis is a faith-based residential housing program for all faith groups at York CI. Residents live and learn together, supporting one another in their individual faith journeys. Teachers and prayer partners are volunteers but funds are needed for books, resources, supplies and a program coordinator.
The Willow Community, established in October of 2009, is an integrated, 18-month, multifaith spiritual development program for long-term inmates composed of 24 women of six different faiths. The Willow Community works to access the deep healing water of faith and to establish roots for finding meaning, purpose and the divine in every moment.
The Christmas Toy Project provides toys to the more than 1,500 children of the 750 mothers incarcerated at York Correctional Institution in Niantic, Connecticut. Toys, as well as donations, are solicited from faith communities, schools, civic groups and individuals.
Houses of Healing helps inmates to identify, express and manage their feelings. It fosters self understanding, emotional and spiritual growth along with encouraging responsibility and accountability toward one’s self and others.
Healing Arts Programs offered to incarcerated women include meditation, arts and spirituality, poetry writing, yoga and labyrinth walks. These programs help to reduce stress, improve attitude and outlook, promote inner healing and personal self-care and create lasting spiritual transformation.
The Barbara Fund provides college-level courses, scholarships, resources and books to the women at York CI, with a particular emphasis on women serving five years or more.
Story Book Project began at York Correctional Institution in 1999 and continues to strengthen the bond between incarcerated mothers and their children. Each month two teams of three volunteers bring children’s books to the prison. Mothers choose books for their children and read them into a recorder. The children receive a precious gift from their mother in the from of a book that they keep and the comforting sound of her voice reading the story to them.
The Angel Memorial is dedicated to the children who were born and died at the former Niantic State Farm for Women and are buried at Union Cemetery in Niantic. Funds will help to establish a permanent monument.
