Staying in Closer Touch

Mission: To strengthen the bond between incarcerated parents and their children by facilitating the reading of books, helping connections, and promoting literacy.

Staying in Closer Touch (SICT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization began when volunteers recognized the emotional and developmental toll of separation between parents and children due to incarceration. The founders believed that maintaining a bond between parents and their children, even in the face of incarceration, was so important for the child’s emotional well-being and literacy development.

SICT’s initial support came from the Children’s Literacy Network, which helped the organization launch its program. Over time, SICT transitioned to being an independent nonprofit and has since grown its impact in Washtenaw County and beyond. In 2024, the organization moved into a new office space at Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor, which has become the heart of their operations.

The program serves parents incarcerated at the Women’s Huron Valley Facility, Washtenaw County Jail, and the Federal Correctional System. SICT’s work is supported by a team of volunteers, including board members, prison visitors, and other contributors. It has made progress since its inception, with thousands of books delivered and so many parents reading to their children each year.

Staying in Closer Touch fulfills its mission by offering a program that strengthens the bond between incarcerated parents and their children. Volunteers visit correctional facilities weekly, where they help parents select a children’s book, record the parent reading it aloud, and send both the book and the recording to the child. This helps with a connection between parents and children, encouraging a love of reading and improving the parent’s literacy skills. It also helps children with the opportunity to hear their parent’s voice, even while they are separated. By focusing on this connection, the organization works to maintain family relationships and support the emotional well-being of both parents and children.

Volunteers visit these facilities weekly to help parents select books to read, record their reading, and send the books and recordings to their children. This fosters a unique connection, encouraging both literacy and emotional bonds.