Pennsylvania Volunteers Bring Hope to 3,500 Inmates Yearly

When Christopher McKenzie walks into a Pennsylvania prison, he's carrying on a 237-year tradition of making sure people behind bars aren't forgotten.

The Pennsylvania Prison Society started in 1787 when Benjamin Franklin and other Revolutionary leaders saw terrible conditions at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Jail. Men, women, and children were locked up together, and inmates only ate if their families brought food.

Today, the society runs on 25 staff members and 250 trained volunteers who visit prisons and jails across Pennsylvania. Last year alone, volunteers met with 3,500 inmates and answered 14,000 calls to their family helpline.

McKenzie, who lives in Carmichaels, started volunteering 18 months ago after learning about the program. He visits state prisons and county jails to listen to inmates' concerns and help solve problems that might seem small on the outside but feel huge on the inside.

"When you feel heard, it means the world," McKenzie said. "You can see that in the faces of the people and the body language of the people we're speaking to."

The work is practical and personal. Sometimes volunteers help inmates understand confusing prison policies or make sure they can set up visitor accounts. Other times, they flag urgent issues like an inmate who hasn't received critical medication for two weeks.

Noah Barth, the society's prison monitoring director, said they work cooperatively with prison administrators rather than against them. When a mother calls worried about her son's antipsychotic medication, volunteers can quickly alert a nurse to check on him.

Right now, only 10 volunteers cover Fayette, Greene, and Washington counties, where they visited 133 inmates last year. While cities like Philadelphia have plenty of volunteers, rural areas need more help to respond quickly.

Why This Inspires

Families send thank you letters all the time, Barth said, not just because problems got solved but because someone showed up. An hour-long visit from someone who genuinely listens can change how an inmate feels about their situation and themselves.

The society trains new volunteers through online information sessions, followed by interviews, background checks, and step-by-step training. They're actively recruiting in southwestern Pennsylvania to make sure anyone anywhere in the state can get a visit when they need one.

McKenzie said the fulfillment comes from aligning actions with values and knowing that listening matters as much as solving problems.

Pennsylvania has built something rare: a bridge between people who are locked away and a society that too often forgets them, one volunteer conversation at a time.