of inmates in state prisons located more than 100 miles away from their families. Meanwhile, for-profit companies — which are the norm in state and federal prisons — charge up to 50 cents per email message or up to $25 for a 10 minute phone call. “Although 50 cents doesn’t seem that much for us, when 68% of people impacted by incarceration are low-income families who can’t afford basic needs, that adds up,” says Orchingwa.
The Ameelio team hopes to attract donors who recognize that the criminal justice system affects people of color and low-income families the most. “There’s an overwhelming amount of evidence that shows just how predatory these [communications] companies can be,” says Elizabeth Levin, head of policy at Ameelio and a recent graduate of Yale Law School.
The Ameelio team was connected to Dorsey’s #startsmall by DeRay Mckesson, a civil rights activist who hosts the podcast,. “He had a lot of experience using [Ameelio] and he really understood the issue,” says Orchingwa. Mckesson knew that Dorsey was looking for social justice organizations to give to, so he sent an introductory email between the two parties.The gift from Schmidt Futures, meanwhile, came after Orchingwa sent a cold e-mail to the organization.
AngelAuYeung Thank you! Our current push is to mail voting packets to every incarcerated person in Maine! Help us Get Out the Vote this November!