Mothers of Incarcerated Sons (MIS) is organized and operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. MIS’s purpose and activities will include but are not limited to charitable endeavors, voter registration and education, community outreach, lobbying, passenger transport, scholarships and fundraising. More specifically, Mothers of Incarcerated Sons, based in Pittsburgh, PA, is dedicated to offering humanitarian assistance that will support women in the United States in their ability to engage with their incarcerated loved ones.
Why We Work:
When a loved one is behind bars, the entire family is imprisoned. We call attention to the struggles of the Invisible Prisoners™, the women and families facing social stigma and isolation, undue financial burden, and emotional distress while their loved ones are incarcerated.
1
1 in 4 women in the U.S. – and nearly 1 in 2 Black women – have a loved one who is incarcerated.
-The Prison Policy Initiative
2
32% of women lose their household’s primary source of income when their loved one is taken away.
– Essie Justice Group
3
54% of women are unable to afford the bail set for an incarcerated loved one.
-Essie Justice Group
4
43% of women are forced to work more hours, get a different job, or turn down an educational opportunity as a result of their loved one’s incarceration.
-Essie Justice Group
A vast amount of American women are deeply affected by the mass incarceration of their families, and yet they face social stigma for being connected to it. We raise awareness about struggles of the Invisible Prisoner, and provide community resources to combat them.
MIS also intends to provide free educational and motivational programs focused on navigating the judicial process, electoral and voting processes and self-improvement through financial preparedness. Additionally, MIS will aid in networking for and with consumers to connect them to community resources and services. Additionally, Mothers of Incarcerated Sons aims to create, influence and lobby for legislation on mass incarceration. MIS conducts social welfare activities that benefit incarcerated individuals and their loved ones. Such activities include voter registration for eligible incarcerated individuals and the public, transportation to and from jails and other facilities for visitation purposes, connecting members to social services and other social welfare resources.
As an organization, MIS VR programming is a foundational dimension of MIS’ mission and purpose. Mothers of Incarcerated Sons strives to advocate and amplify the voices of the women– the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, godmothers and sisters adversely affected by the incarceration of their loved ones; empowering them to stand and be seen by court systems, social services and other institutional systems that have for far too long ignored the value of their input by excluding them and ignoring their voice. MIS is a nonprofit advocacy group that focuses on justice in jail & prisons while amplifying the voices of the support system of the incarcerated. For MIS, voting in every election is a fundamental programmatic thrust: and is paramount to removing the blinders of seeing the “Invisible Prisoners.”
Our Partners:
Our work to dismantle mass incarceration and uplift Invisible Prisoners™ is supported by:
Programming Partners:
Gamaliel N’tosake
- Pennsylvania Prison Society
- 1VoteCounts
Grant partners:
Black Voters Matter Fund
