#RewindWithOIAA: Throwback With Literacy For Incarcerated Teens (LIT)
In 2020, we launched our November campaign to support Literacy For Incarcerated Teens, a non-profit organization in New York City working to end illiteracy among New York’s incarcerated young people by inspiring them to read. Since 2002, Lit4Teens has been making it possible for school libraries serving incarcerated youth to acquire new books and other library media.
There is a link between engaging young people in activities aimed at helping shape their identities and outlooks and their ability to desist from crimes. Reading and the practice of literacy, which includes access to a library and library services is a direct way in which young people can begin to focus their identities and outlooks more positively.
To support their cause, over 250 ARMY came together and raised $5840.09. The funds will help the organization provide 300+ magazine subscriptions to all 80 of the centers they help in New York State and still leave additional funds available for other initiatives.
As we revisit all the organizations we have worked with in the past 12 months for our third anniversary, we decided to ask them a few questions. Let’s check out what LIT has to say:
Updates On The Programs And New Developments
Our goal is simple. We purchase material for the detention site libraries and invite authors and others to speak to the teens and encourage reading.
The sites are opening up more now, and two programmers have been able to visit small groups and engage the teens in writing for a zine. A few sites outside NYC have Zoom capability, and one of our programmers has conducted a book club and a program about film and script writing. A dog handler visited and taught them how one trains a dog and shared books on the topic. The dog visitors were very popular.
Organization’s Fund Allocation Plan
The funds raised by One in an Army were welcome and used to order books for sites.
The Impact Of Pandemic On The Organization’s Operations
Literacy for Incarcerated Teens had to cut back on some programs during the pandemic because visitors were not allowed into detention sites for some time.
The Impact Of OIAA’s Campaign On The Organization
Since the end of the campaign, LIT has continued to receive small amounts of money from people whom we do not know. I assume the publicity helped raise awareness of our project. We look forward to classes in the sites resuming in person and hope everyone stays healthy.
Do You Know BTS?
I had heard of BTS, but had to look at YouTube to see them perform. An engaging group of young people who deserve their popularity. My grandchildren were impressed that LIT was chosen and told their friends about it.
Support LIT For OIAA’s Third Anniversary
- Visit the donation page created for the organization or scan the QR code on LIT’s poster
Donation Page Link: http://www.literacyforincarceratedteens.org/2020/10/literacy-for-incarcerated-teens-chosen-by-one-in-an-a-r-m-y/ - Donate any amount (a minimum of $1)
- Take a screenshot and submit it on our tracking form (hide any personal information).
- Share the campaign with your friends and family.
Follow the instructions and updates about our Throwback Campaign here.
We are completely aware that not everyone is able to contribute through a monetary donation, but your support, in any form, is significant to our campaign. For example, you can share our SNS posts to help increase the reach and visibility of the org amongst your followers. Find us on social media here: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit, and Amino.
