Several Ways to Give:
- Make a onetime donation (see below for opting out of extra fees to the better world platform)
- Check: payable to Let’s Get Free mailed to: 460 Melwood Ave #300 Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Venmo – @Lets-GetFree
- CashApp – $letsgetfreepgh
Our EIN #84-1998369
We are shifting our monthly sustainers from paypal to betterworld. When signing up on betterworld, make sure to click monthly AND on the right hand side there will be an option to “help cover fundraising costs” click the question mark and then the link at the bottom of the text explanation. There you can click to remove donation to the platform or change the amount you want to give. Part of your donation will still go to platform. There is another box in teh column to the left under where you select the amount that says “Cover Transaction Cost” you can unclick that box as well.
How To Stop or Change Your Monthly Donation from Paypal
To stop or change your monthly giving, here are the steps from a computer. might look different on a phone. These instructions as of January 2025 – they often change 🙂
To cancel a recurring payment on PayPal, you can do the following:
- Log into your paypal account.
- Go to Settings (gear graphic on top right menu)
- Click Payments or Payments & Subscriptions
- Select Manage Automatic Payments
- Find the payment you want to cancel click on payment
- Click Cancel or Turn Off
- Confirm the cancellation
To change the amount on paypal you must cancel current automatic payment and then create a new payment
February 10, 2025: Thank You Monthly Sustainers 👏 We Stand in Ovation👏
| It’s that time of year again.You guessed it. It’s sugar sweet geyser gush on you monthly sustainer time!!!!If you need a soundtrack to listen to this email by YOU Got IT! 🎶 (tx leslie) Ok, Where were we. Do you know how much we appppreeecciiaateee yououoouu?! Well i’m about to tell you! Biz up front You Need a Tax Receipt? If you want a personalized tax receipt please email me at etta@letsgetfree.info and i will send you one with a quickness. Otherwise our tax ID # 84-1998369 Also, i personally just switched my monthly sustainership from paypal to Betterworld. The news on democracy now this morning illuminating Elon’s ties with the paypal’s upper echelon turned my stomach. If you want to switch your sustainership too, i put tips on our donate page. (its hard to figure out how to stop or change your paypal and then there are extra fees you can opt of on betterworld) Feel free to stay on paypal if its easier. This message goes to all those who sustained us last year even if you changed your status! We are a rollin deep with 140 of us giving anywhere from $2 to $100 bringing in about $2150 a month to support the work of Let’s Get Free 👏 We Stand in Ovation 👏 🧢We Bow Our Hats 🎩 We Kiss Your Feet 👣 I can smell what you are steppin’ in but can you smell what i’m stepping in?! YOU PAY FOR OUR VANNOTE ❗ YOU PAY FOR OUR FANCY WONT CUT YOU OFF AFTER 45 MINUTE ZOOM❗ YOU PAY FOR MANY OF OUR VISITING ROOM PICTURES AND VENDING MACHINE SNACKS ❗ YOU BOUGHT US COMPUTERS ❗ YOU PAY FOR OUR WEBSITES YOU SUPPORTED .. ok, i’m gonna calm down. But i hope you were getting the grover from the muppets very excited vibe that i was serving. |
| Here are some 2024 highlights Our Van, Falkor… One of the biggest things that unfolded last year was we bought a VAN who we call with love and affection Falkor and have started monthly in person visits to the two women’s prisons. IF you want to come to SCI Muncy or SCI Cambridge Springs with us Falkor Visits Shout out to Ranion— the van whisperer—who donated time scouring online platforms, a whole day of van shopping AND a fancy radio that helps us GPS!! The van we found is from 2016 with a modest 18,000 miles on it! We expect it to last for a while! We also recently bought Falkor their own google voice number so all of our volunteers can use the same phone # and texts for that streamline communication. Guess who is pickin’ up the bill???? You You You You must know how much these fistfulls of unrestricted funds on the regular keep the lights on! Lights in our hearts Lights in our eyes Lights in our Virtual Office There are annual fees associated with our websites and monthly fees associated with the zoomies. All those stamps and postage add up during weekly outings to the post office mailing out resource guides, Daughters Magazine, and handpicked books that go with our Daughters articles. You helped two of our staff members buy computers that we use everyday to coordinate committees, send monthly emails to prisoners and basically… you know we are on these things all day long. Thank you!! Another highlight is The Commutation Now Campaign has been relaunched!! Did you see the 10 minute mini Doc that you helped pay for? It was created by Njaimeh Njie last fall and went hand in hand with our actions to shine light on broken commutation process. Did you sign our petition? It was started last September, so you may have. 70 sigs shy of 1000! Daughters Magazine: Daughters is still one of our most popular and most expensive initiatives costing $5-8000 an issue! It will remain free for Monthly Sustainers but we are asking EVERYONE TO RESUBSCRIBE. You can do that here—> Sign Up To Keep Getting Daughters Mag Ok, so in this upcoming issue, Sarita had expressed desire to lay out all the things LGF does, expressing that folks know about the magazine but they don’t know all the different things we got going. So Asia Dailyn interviewed me and the process got me to diggin’ up all these old photos of LGF from over 10 years ago! You can read the article and see some old pics on our website. We tallied all the volunteers that we could think of for 2024 and Sara Coffey put them in this list and Leslie Stem made a mega collage!! |
| Some Gratitude from the inside from the past year: Shane Daly from SCI Muncy, was one of 30 people who won a visual arts prize in this years art show. We gave out over 3,000 in prizes to poets and artists. He writes:“Its exciting for me because I’ve never won a prize for my art before and it tells me my painting is improving. its also cool that the specific prize I won was about expression, because for me, my art is more about conveying emotion, or eliciting an emotive response in my viewers, than producing an exact realistic replica of what I see. so, very validating for me, and I appreciate the encouragement greatly. thank you again!” and from Tara Burnsworth: who did that piece- best view from Cambridge Springs : “I never win anything and i never thought i was good enough so again, thank you so much!”If you want to read the follow up letter we sent to all the 150+ artists and poets who participated in our 7th Amazing ” This is Me” Art Show you can see everyone who won prizes. Abdul Hakim from Frackville writes in gratitude for our monthly email blasts to the inside:“although words alone can not fully express the gratitude I’m feeling for the updates you’ve been consistent in making sure I and other incarcerated citizens have knowledge of. PLEASE KNOW THAT, MY HEART AND SOULS IS FULL OF THE UTMOST APPRECIATION, GRATITUDE AND VALUE FOR YOUR REACHING OUT TO US!!! KNOW IN FACT, I WILL FOREVER PRAY FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND FOR ALL SOCIAL/CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ACTIVIST’S PEACE AND PROSPERITY.” David Richardson adds:”I can’t say it enough! I am very grateful for the updates regarding the public hearings and merit reviews of the Board of Pardons. The emails you send out to the men and women in prison waiting for a second chance to live as responsible community members are more than helpful – they are supportive and informative. In the past , very few people understood the complexities of the commutation process, but with your advocacy and love for us NOW we have more to work with than we did before. WE APPRECIATE YOU!!!!” Shawna Lacostes shares about the visiting program:“Hello there! I wanted to thank you for all the hard work you put into Operation Break Bread Visting Program. I met Lucy Goubert today for the first time in person! She traveled here to Cambridge Springs with her friend to visit with me and another lady. It was such a great day! I know that there is a lot of work involved to match inmates with the volunteers. I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to you and anyone else involved! Today felt wonderful sit down with Lucy and have a conversation and to share a few laughs. Mentally this is a big positive boost to all of us who get visits. THANK YOU!!!” Darla Carrington writes about Daughters:“I hope that this year brings You & Let’s Get Free all the abundant blessings and Godly favor that this inspirational movement deserves! God bless you all… Again, I truly do appreciate “My Letter To Addiction” being published, Claudia… It inspired my oldest daughter to create a page for me on FB called, “DEAR DARLA”… (((Thank u so much)))!! “ Bennie Brimmage offers a helpful reminder:“You and Let’s Get Free makes the Clemency real for us inside these fences. I have been locked up for 45yrs so far and some of the names I read in Daughters are known to me. Daughters is without question The Best prisoner magazine!!! Just seeing some of us receiving a Public Hearing is a victory to me, I remember a time when none received one.” CeCe Ransome writes:“Thank you for the commutation info, also!!! Pertaining to (INSIDE PERSPECTIVE), it has a positive effect allowing transgender’s to be seen more in a positive manner, as opposed to having one thing on our mind’s.Others who disliked me for years are now seeing me as an intelligent and positive person, as I’ve been stopped on the walkway and given compliments in the articles I’ve written, that’s good for the Tran’s community, we’ve been profiled negatively for so long since here at Phoenix.” Denise Crump writes on our new Virtual Healing Program [one on one therapy for currently incarcerated people]: “If I can put all of the sessions with my therapist in one word, it would be *completion*. That is the best way that I can describe how I felt after each session, and I had many. For the first time in my 60 year life, at the age of 59, I began having a therapist. When my first session began, I felt very comfortable and relaxed as if I was in her office with her. This is the one thing that was missing. I am free inside. My life is worth living. My past is gone, my present is here and my future is ahead. I’m always learning, growing, changing, and standing. The sky is the limit to my achievements.” okee dokee, i’ll leave it here. Solidarity Forever and SRSLY Thanks for all the ways you support the work of LGF,etta cetera and the whole lgf crew |
December 2023 Letter of Gratitude to our Monthly Sustainers
Hello dear monthly sustainer ,
It’s been many moons since i have wanted to write. I have traditionally taken my fingers to the keyboard to articulate gratitude to you, our precious monthly sustainers, during the month of July – very intentionally – so you will not be confused with an end of the year ask for money and could simply bask in the glow of an appreciation shower.
ALAS, time is a slippery eel. Don’t be confused! This is not an ask for money but an affirmation that your monthly practice of giving to Let’s Get Free is financial nourishment and provides emotional fortitude to keep us keepin’ on.
BTW, there are currently 119 of us monthly givers bringing in a solid 1,681$ of soft, warm unrestricted funds!! Like Kirikou, we remain Tiny yet Mighty! That’s about 20,000$ Big Ones a year!! SALUTE!
This message is going to everyone who has monthly sustained this year, even if you recently cancelled. We appreciate all that everyone can offer to their capacity or desire.
Oh! you if want a tax receipt please let email letsgetgreepa@gmail.com. Our EIN # is 84-1998369 if that’s helpful.
And so, what exactly have we been doin’ with the riches you pour into our coffers every month?
This is what we have been up to:
- Our internal ORGans! Ruby Pinto spearheaded a capacity building listening circle of close advisors who are also volunteers, to get feedback on organization structure. We asked a series of questions like: Have you seen examples of radical and equitable pay scales? Have you seen successful organizational structures that veer from a traditional non-profit structure? With additional support from kai koehler we created the first ever LGF Handbook, Equity & Opportunity Statement and Accessibility Statement Our dollars paid for Ruby’s stipend and money for our trusted friend consultants! Totalling $6000 (we still a work in progress 🙂
- Books for Prisoners! Our donations buy specific books for people on the inside in our network at their request. $1200
- Email Links to prisoners cost money and we blast them with information and encouragement one by one. (no group emails on the connect network, the prison email system) There are over 500 people on our email lists. One month of your donations pay for a whole year of emails to the inside. $750
- Prison Visits Since covid we finally started visiting prisons in person again. Its still difficult because of the prison rules to get a bunch of people coordinated at the same time but we are trying! This year we spent about $1300 on prison visits including one van full from Philly to Muncy led by Sam Johnson,
- Donations to other orgs! We love sharing. Some orgs we have supported include a NY based org that held a dinner banquet inside a NY state women’s prison, Za’kiyah House, the national FREE Her March, People’s Hub Access Cohort, and Reconstruction Inc, Totaling over $3000
- Pressing Community Needs – We have supported people in paying rent, getting bus passes, using lyfts/ubers to get to meetings and community events. Individual Legal Support for Sheená King, Todd Robinson, court fines for Jessica Strohl. This year we have supported 4 people (3 women) in furthering their education on the inside. Totaling $11,000
- Let’s Get Free’s Wellness Fund – new this year we have a wellness fund that can support volunteers or paid members in health concerns. We utilized the fund for massage for back pain, gym memberships, very expensive dental bills, crisis covid pharmacy runs, trips to urgent care and a wrist brace for carpal tunnel. Over $2000!
All of these efforts listed total over $20,000 and we DO get many one time donations too that contribute to our financial well being. We have also been supported through grants from the Opportunity Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Spring Point Partners and the YWCA gave us a grant specifically for Daughters Magazine and our Art show. Daughters magazine costs about 25,000 a year so we need and appreciate that grant money.
Speaking of Daughters! If you want to continue receiving Daughters Magazine (a perk of being a monthly sustainer – please resign up) Many people on the outside HAVE NOT GOTTEN THEIR MAGAZINES. and it is very hard for us to keep track of who is getting it and who is not. So we need your confirmation that you want to receive it.
If you want to keep getting Daughter’s Magazine please subscribe here. Otherwise you will be taken off the mailing list.
Also! people in prison also financially support us too! The men at SCI Rockview donated $3000 last month and an entire bloc at SCI Phoenix “passed the hat” and sent us donations mostly between $1 and $2 reaching over $100!!
Appreciation from behind the walls.
Debbie is activated!
“Thank You!!!!! I appreciate you keeping me informed. I will pass the word to my family to vote for these people!!! My family is all in when it Comes to Lifer’s getting Free!!!!!!! Thank You again for keeping me in the loop!!!!!” — Debbie Ward (SCI Muncy)
Bayé mentions JOY!
it’s always, always, a (JOY ENHANCER) to hear from you and get the latest news about the ongoing pursuit of GETTING FREE! BEING FREE! & STAYING FREE in all aspects of FREEDOM… AMEN!!! — Ronald/BAYÉ
Warner is showing love for Daughters:
Thank you so much for making contact ( Daughters ) I feel the Love and Compassion. We are winners in that way. Living through the abnormal and unnatural and maintaining our dignity and humanity. The magazine is read by many here. In all my writings I always remember the Women as well as the Men. This criminal justice system leaves a lot to be desired. For to long they’ve been in a ( Throw Away frenzy ). Adding insult to injury to a already broken and abused people. No care for healing and restoration for those found to have broken a law. What a burden to bear. But we rise everyday to give account and count the blessings that we do have. Love will always overcome the hate in this world. To everyone there keep doing what you’re doing. Perfect Love I Believe in the Best. Warner
Marie Mechie Scott chimes in:
Thanks so very much for all you do to keep all of us up with the process of commutation and the legislature. We would all be in a much darker place without your communication. I hope and pray that you are well. Sincerely, Mechie
Pru talks about our connection breaking isolation.
“Greetings! I’m doing better than I was a couple of weeks ago, & I very much appreciate & am grateful for the connection I have with you all. I’ve come to care for you & I’ve never even met you!! What you do out there for folks in here is absolutely Spintifforus ” as Tigger in the Hundred Acre Wood would say!!! ” !! Being able to have contact with you is a God Send since I have noone else out there, & it causes life here to be a mite more bearable. So, from My heart to yours, Thank you for staying in touch with me. I’m grateful to Our Creator for crossing our paths, & very humbled by this expansion. Be Well! Be Strong! Be Safe! You are in my thoughts & prayers continuously throughout each day. In Love & Solidarity, Your servant & friend, Fondly Yours, Pru”
Ms. CeCe was connected with a new virtual visitor this month and she writes:
“Tricia thinks like I do… UNBELIEVABLE! she’s the whole real deal, I love her and I just met her, Science, Political Science degrees, Aircraft electrical engineering, and much more, we have similar childhood experiences, and to top that off! she’s down to earth… no intellectual displays of accomplishments by way of self expressions, she’s just REAL with herself, (I LOVE Y’ALL SO MUCH THAT I’M IN TEARS AS I WRITE), thank you all for being yourselves. IT’S A GIFT TO BE YOU. FOR REAL!!!
cinque was one of 19 people on the inside who got a virtual tour of the art show this year. he writes:
some people only see one side of us, but the art show, gave them another side. thank you for taking me with you.
ok Monthly Sustainers. I hope you receive this gratitude and feel the love. Without your support we couldn’t do what we do – physically, emotionally or spiritually.
i speak for all of us at LGF when i say it is a TRUE HONOR that you have our backs.
May 2024 bring more members of our community home. May we be nearing the end of western imperialism. May Palestine Be Protected and Free Us All!
etta
June 2022 Gratitude
for our Monthly Sustainers
Monthly sustainers are a critical part of community organizing and help us gather unrestricted funds.
A missive of gratitude to our monthly donors for your financial support! Here is a little bit of accountability so you can know where your recurring donations go.
As of June 2022 THERE ARE 104 OF US. Let the trumpets sound and the 100% compostable confetti rain down upon us! WE ARE A MIGHTY FORCE OF GIVING! Collectively we are up to $1440 a month {{{17,280 a year}}} to support the work of Let’s Get Free. Your belief in our work has truly built our capacity.
Here is a list of some of the things we do 🙂
- Daughters Magazine has BECOME a center of community on the inside reaching 650 people in prisons – mostly across PA. On our Creative Resistance website, you can find all of the recent issues of Daughter’s founded by one of our advisory board members, Sarita Miller. As it grows in popularity, so does the cost! It’s about $4,000 to print and mail – 4 times a year. WE FUND THIS.
- As part of the fight to free our elders, we launched the Let Grandma Go graphics campaign. We are sending monthly postcards to ALL PA state legislators and DAs. Each postcard highlights the stories of incarcerated women elders and urges political support of bills (SB 835 and HB 2347) that would make incarcerated people over age 55 and those with serious medical conditions eligible for parole. Each postcard costs about $600 to design, print and mail. WE FUND THIS.
- Mutual Aid: You directly assist formerly incarcerated people and family members of people in prison. Your donations have paid for laptops, phones, bus passes, bills and NEW FLOORS FOR DONNELLE’S SAFE HAVEN. Last year we gave over 12,000 in Direct Assistance. Some of that was raised through crowdfunding etc, BUT A GOOD BIT OF THAT WAS YOU.
- Email Newsletters to the Inside: We have built a robust emailing system in spite of the cumbersome Connect Network platform – that’s prison email we use here in PA if you’re not familiar. It is infuriating. Always crashing, it costs money AND you only get 2000 characters per email which is about 3 paragraphs. ANYWAY, no technical difficulties can keep our information pipeline from going. This year we have been sending monthly updates on the commutation hearings, legislation and other news. We have over 200 people on our list and it costs about $80 bucks a month. WE FUND THIS!
If you have questions, please contact us at: letsgetfreepa@gmail.com We are now a 501c3, let us know if you want a receipt for your donation.
Blowing kisses in your direction
through a very protective mask!
