When a parent is put in jail, the child’s world changes. Auntie Mary’s Storybook helps bridge that distance by recording parents and relatives reading stories so that children important to them can still hear their voices, feel their love and know they are not forgotten.
“When a mother goes to prison, it is usually her children who suffer the most…Maternal imprisonment affects future generations because children’s psychological health and sense of family are seriously damaged by separation from their mother.”
Aunt Mary’s Storybook began in 1993 as a small holiday project at the Cook County Jail in Chicago. Today, it operates in 14 facilities and serves as a model for similar programs around the world.
how it works
- Parents or grandparents living in foster homes select a book from the wide collection we carry
- With the help of volunteers, participants record themselves reading and add a personal note for their child.
- The book and recording are mailed to the child, giving them a chance to hear their loved one’s voice and feel connected.
companion facilities,
Cook County Jail – Chicago, Illinois
DeKalb County Jail – Sycamore, Illinois
Kane County Jail – St. Charles, Illinois
Kendall County Jail – Yorkville, Illinois
Will County Jail – Joliet, Illinois
Centralia Correctional Center – Centralia, Illinois
Decatur Correctional Center – Decatur, Illinois
Joliet Treatment Center – Joliet, Illinois
Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center – Kewanee, Illinois
Lawrence Correctional Center – Sumner, Illinois
Logan Correctional Center – Lincoln, Illinois
Maynard Correctional Center – Chester, Illinois
Maynard Correctional Center Medium Security Unit – Chester, Illinois
Sheridan Correctional Center – Sheridan, Illinois
Good Morning America Story
Donate to support this project
Join our Aunt Mary’s Storybook Giving Circle. By signing up to donate $10 per month, you will give men and women the chance to share their voices and love with the special children in their lives. Click here to support this project.