The Messages Project is proudly celebrating 15 years of service to children of incarcerated parents and their families. Established in a women’s prison in 1999, our program has recorded over 10,000 personalized videos for the children, and with your help, we have provided more than 8,000 books so these kids could have personalized bedtime stories with mom or dad.
With each passing year, we have done our best to add one new feature to The Messages Project. First, the children’s books were added to deliveries. By the second year, we expanded to include fathers in our recordings. Then we added backdrops to the videos to make the scenery more enjoyable for the children. These beautiful backgrounds were first painted by offenders at Botetourt Correctional Center in Virginia, and they are still used today. More recently, we added two backdrops created by inmates at the Indian Creek Correctional Center. Eventually, we were able to provide recordings for the hearing impaired. Wardens very kindly allowed us to add small Christmas trees and lights for holiday messages. Each small addition was a giant leap forward for the kids.
Founder Carolyn LeCroy says, “The last 15 years have been an adventure to say the least, on the road leading us from Virginia all the way to Malawi with so many stops in between. This wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support from so many wonderful people who believe and know each child is a precious’s gift. Each child needs and wants to know parental love. The messages these children receive from their parents give them the security they so desperately need in knowing they are still loved. And now with the book, A Parent’s Message, the moms and dads can take their messages one step further and truly interact with their children…no matter how far the distance between them may be.”
Thank you for your continued support and belief in our program. Without your heartfelt encouragement, book contributions, and donations, we couldn’t have made it this far. It’s been 15 years, but we’re just getting started. Thank you for making this possible!