09/18/2026
FFUP's new DEStress Fundraiser helps prisoners heal- can you help us?
Most of you know FFUP, Forum for Understanding Prisons, working with prisoners and their families for about 25 years now. We have a new Director Tim Zilstra, a world traveling businessman and philanthropist ,and I am intake worker: where my heart is.
And all our hearts are broken often in this work, but there is so much joy in the connecting too. We have many projects going on the larger picture , for our WI DOC is foul and has lost its mission entirely.
Our DEStress project is the one thing we do that WORKS. that is not shouting into the wind and a waste of effort. And we come to you for help.
Started during the pandemic, we buy hobby and office supplies for prisoners- 20 $ max .We try for once a month but it is usually longer between orders than that.
Fundraising for FFUP's DESTress Project has become more important as conditions worsen inside the prison and more prisoners are learning about us ( including now all the women's prisons). I will be posting the prisoners cards to us also-they let us know how important this project is to them-for keeping connected to family and friends: for connecting with their own inner self amidst the prison mayhem. We also often here that this project lets these forgotten individuals know that someone cares.
Also very positive is the enthusiasm and engagement of the prisoners. They want to help and are offering hand -made cards as thankyou gifts, using the supplies they get from our DESTRess project to craft the cards. The plan is to make each card to the donor's specifications. They will send the finished cards to me and I will forward them to donors.
Here is the blogger site where I am posting card examples prisoner have sent me. www.prisonforum.org. My printer does not do justice to the color , sparkles and beauty of these cards. We ask you as donor to email me the message and subject of the picture you want on your card. If there is an example you like- let me know the prisoner's name and I will ask him /her to make the card. Otherwise, I will choose the artist.
I am sending notices to the artists now, asking them for their stories and photos ,so those will be posted on this blog soon also. They are eager for the chance to participate in their own well-being.
TO DONATE:
Any amount helps, we all thank you for any donation you can make.
1)Here is the FFUP website where you can see the card samples
and on the right is a paypal button . www.prisonforum.org
2) we have a gofundme site with a link for donations- https://www.gofundme.com/f/prisonforum
3) Most economical way in that there are no fees - send a check directly to me: PSwan/prisonforum.org; 29631 Wild Rose Drive , Blue River,, WI 53518/ make check out to FFUP or full name or Pswan/FFUP.
Which ever one you choose- be sure to email me with any questions or what you want for a hand -made card as thankyou gift :[email protected]
