Become a Monthly Supporter
Become a monthly patron to support our organizing! All proceeds go to our mutual aid projects including the Prisoner Emergency Support Fund, Jail Hotline, and Good Food Boxes, and support our direct action advocacy work (through digital organizing tools and protest supplies).
Supporters can contribute $5, PWYC, $25, $50, or $100 in monthly donations on Patreon that include exclusive TPRP merchandise as a thank-you.
BECOME A MONTHLY SUPPORTER.
So far, our work has involved:
Fundraising over $200,000 to support more than 800 prisoners and people exiting the system with $225 stipends throughout the course of the pandemic
Starting a jail hotline to accept calls from the Toronto South Detention Centre, Toronto East Detention Centre, Maplehurst Correctional Complex, Vanier Centre for Women, and Ontario Correctional Institute in order to connect prisoners to essential supports, and conduct essential transparency oversight as to conditions in Ontario prisons and jails.
Support and publicization of more than eight prisoner-led hunger and labour strikes
Creating popular educational resources about prisons and jails in Canada through our series of webinars, workshops, toolkits, and our social media accounts.
Partnering with other organizations to provide material and social supports to current and former prisoners (ie. Food Share Toronto for Good Food Boxes)
We have been conducting this work for over a year on a purely volunteer basis and through a variety of fundraising efforts. However, to sustain this work it has become increasingly necessary to develop a more reliable revenue stream. As a patron of the TPRP, you will be helping us to continue this essential work. Proceeds will help us to cover our overhead costs and directly support prisoners through initiatives like the Prisoner Emergency Support Fund.
Make a One-Time Donation to the Prisoner Emergency Support Fund
The Prisoner Emergency Support Fund (PESF) was started by the Criminalization and Punishment Education Project and the Toronto Prisoners’ Rights Project. We are a team of volunteers that are organizing to support prisoners. We believe that people need access to community support and not human cages. The fund was originally launched as a response to the pandemic. Given the clear gaps in care that have been revealed by the volume of applications, we are continuing to raise funds so long as there are needs to be met. The harms of incarceration, while heightened by the pandemic, are not contained to this historical moment, and we firmly believe that by continuing to show up and care for all members of our community, we can work towards a safer and more equitable world. The overwhelming show of solidarity has encouraged us to continue to raise and distribute money from the Prisoner Emergency Support Fund.
This fund is intended for people inside prisons and jails and recently released prisoners. People behind bars often need support to contact their loved ones or purchase essential items on their canteen. Recently released prisoners need access to funds for housing, food, clothing, and physical and mental health supports. Families who still have loved ones behind bars need funds for expensive phone bills and canteens.
Make a One-Time Donation to Our Organization
We are a network of frontline workers, community activists, former prisoners, loved ones of those in prison and concerned community members. Our work is entirely volunteer-based, and we rely on community support to cover some of our overhead costs, including the maintenance of online advocacy tools, payment of honorarium to speakers and contributors with lived experience, and applications to Freedom of Information/Access to Information and Privacy requests. Your contributions will enable us to continue with our work.