The empty chair at the holiday table.
This season, families across Illinois will gather around tables with one chair that should be filled — but isn't. Nearly 30,000 people remain separated from their loved ones, missing another holiday behind bars.
While we share home-cooked meals and celebrate traditions, thousands of parents, children, and grandparents are in prison this holiday season, far away from home and the people who love them.
Together, we can bring people home this year.
We can reunite families with loved ones, like Jermaine Brown and Aryules Bivens. Jermaine spent 20 years away from his beloved grandmother Lula before Illinois Prison Project helped secure his work release. Aryules finally hugged his daughter after spending 40 years in prison, and met his grandson for the very first time.
This year, we can reunite even more families.
Through December 31st, every dollar you give will be matched up to $20,000 — doubling your impact to fund the legal advocacy, case research, and clemency work that reunites families.
→ $50 becomes $100 – supports one hour of training for IPP Ambassadors
→ $150 becomes $300 – supports our free twice-monthly legal clinic
→ $300 becomes $600 – supports the medical release filing for one terminally ill or disabled person
→ $600 becomes $1,200 – supports comprehensive parole case representation for clients sent to prison before their 21st birthday
This holiday season, help us fill those empty chairs.