The men at Kern Valley State Prison and Lancaster Prison in Southern California spearheaded The Giving Back Project in early 2020. This initiative identifies creative ways for people who are incarcerated to give back to the communities with which they are connected. These creative connections then manifest in the real world, in local communities.
Based on this model, CPP hopes to help facilitate The Giving Back Project in other communities. Murals, other forms of public art and artistic expression, ‘zines created, written and published by people who are incarcerated are just a few examples of what can arise out of The Giving Back Project. If you have an interest in helping to spearhead The Giving Back Project in a local facility and community near you, you can read about examples and opportunities to volunteer below.
We want people to look at prisoners as part of the community, because they will be part of the community.
Leann Bertsch, former Corrections Director of North Dakota Dept. of CorrectionsSome Examples of Giving Back Projects
Artistic Expression
Holiday Greeting Card Fundraiser
Origami for Foster Youth
Volunteer with Compassion Prison Project!
Join us in transforming prisons and communities through compassion. Check out our Volunteer Opportunities for this project below...
Project team Leader
Lead the development of the The Giving Back Project, develop volunteer training on components of The Giving Back project, recruit team members, train volunteers, intersect with other team leaders on shared goals.
Level of Ownership:
Project Leader
Time Commitment:
Weekly for 2 Hours
Volunteer Local Artists
Complete 2 hour training to become a The Giving Back Project volunteer. Participate in Giving Back Project team update meetings once a month for the duration of your specific project. Implement a Giving Back Project with people who have completed a Step Inside the Circle and ACE awareness [program] within a prison facility. Coordinate with local communities.