The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne, Vermont is hosting an in store book drive during the month of March in support of Lund’s Kids-A-Part program. Kids-A-Part works with mothers incarcerated at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility and their children and caregivers of those children in the community. The overall goal of the program is to reduce the traumatic effect of a mother’s incarceration on her child. Facilitating different methods of connection between moms and children during incarceration is a key element in achieving this goal.
Books collected during the March drive will be used for the Storybook Program. There is bookshelf in the corner of the Kids-A-Part space with books for children of all ages. Once a month, moms are invited in to select a book, which a volunteer then records them reading. Both the book and the recording are and sent home to the child, often accompanied by handmade cards and letters. “This allows children to hear a story directly from their mom even though mom cannot be there with them,” says Jess Kell, Kids-A-Part Parenting Coordinator. “Children find this very comforting and it gives the moms and tangible way they can connect with their children that transcends the distance between them. Storybook offers children one way to feel closer to mom while she’s far away. The ability to mom’s voice at any time is invaluable, and former clients have shared with us that years later, these books are still treasured items.”
“We are so grateful to the Flying Pig Bookstore for running another book drive for the Kids-A-Part program,” says Courtney Farrell, Lund’s Director of Child and Family Services. “Lund is the only agency working incarcerated mothers and their children in the community in this capacity. It is so very important for children and their mothers to stay connected during the time of the mother’s incarceration. Having books for the Storybook program and for moms and kids to read together during visits is a mutually beneficial and nice way to support this connection. Knowing that members of the community support these children, who so often fall through the cracks, is very reassuring.”
Last year Kids-A-Part worked with 208 mothers and 368 children. We are all very grateful to The Flying Pig bookstore and their generous customers for supporting Kids-A-Part with this book drive.
