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Volunteers keep the Penpal Scheme running. Bridging the Gap's Pen Pal scheme matches prisoners with volunteers whose letters bring hope, compassion, into a lonely environment. Prisoners are often isolated from family and friends. Often their relationship with a pen pal is their only connection with the outside world. Pen pals have the opportunity to engage in prison work without ever actually entering a prison. Through Bridging the Gap's Pen Pal scheme, more than 500 prisoners are corresponding with volunteers (with many more prisoners waiting for pen pals). "I was in prison and you came to visit me . . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25: 36,40 Jerry is one of several volunteers who work in The Pen Pal scheme at Bridging the Gap's National Office. These volunteers read and sort the letters received every day. They make phone calls to our volunteers across the country to answer your questions. Sending on those letters that we receive for people using our Post Office Box. They also sort and code prisoner applications. They enter prisoner and volunteer application information into the computer database. They research prison addresses and enter this information into the prison database. They type labels and stuff envelopes and do bulk mailings. There are thousands of active prisoner records in our database and hundreds of active volunteers. Here are the experiences of just some of the people who keep us going: "Here I have found a way to help prisoners, and to help match volunteer pen pals, and to those around me here in the office. I have seen many letters of gratitude from those who are able to get out of their cell, via a letter and this does bring me great satisfaction." (Anne a former volunteer) "When I came to BTG I was nervous and a bit kak handed, but the friendship shown to me by those who are helping people in prison is really great. I can now operate the photocopies properly and sort out the incoming mail etc with ease. I have the joy of knowing that the little that I do is helping to bring a ray of light into someone's life who is less fortunate than myself." (Tim) "I write to two inmates who happen to be on death row in the USA. At first I was a bit worried about how things would go and what I would say. But with the help I received from the BTG team, my fears were soon dispelled." (John, penpal writer) "I heard James talking about how those coming out of prison were having it rather difficult, and I thought, 'well it serves them right, they got themselves into trouble, being greedy etc, why should I bother to help them.' But James went onto explain that with some of these people it is their first time of getting into trouble and that after all they should be given a chance to put things behind them and at least try again. I decided that I would get involved only to prove that he was talking a load of rubbish. But since I have been involved with BTG and seen the work that they do and the cry's for help that they receive, my eyes have been opened and I am glad that I am now helping others and have a different attitude." (George, volunteer).
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