Houston – For many children, a parent’s incarceration can lead to separation and isolation and sometimes, ending with being incarcerated themselves.
The Freedom Child Foundation, a Houston-based nonprofit organization, is closing this gap, offering support to kids facing this unique and often overlooked challenge. Through its programs, the foundation helps children stay in contact with their incarcerated parents, by phone, letters, and in-person visits in order for them to keep a connection and a stable family bond.
Founded by 28-year-old Wandjell Harvey-Robinson, she knows all too well what it feels like to be separated by distance and prison walls. Both of her parents were incarcerated when she was 8-years-old. As a child living with her grandmother, she did not have the resources to be in contact with her parents as much as she’d like. As she grew older, she began to dedicate her time to advocating for children like her.
In 2015 at the age of 19, she lobbied the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. to reduce the rates of phone calls from prisons. The FCC made this change by capping phone rates from federal correctional facilities at $0.21 a minute.
A year later, House Bill 6200 was passed, reducing the phone call rates from prisons to less than $0.07 a minute. This change allowed Illinois, her home state, to become one of the states with the lowest rates in the U.S.
Then, on July 4 , 2020, Harvey-Robinson launched The Freedom Child Foundation. Their pillars have remained the same -- to provide resources for children to stay in touch with their incarcerated parents and to provide therapy to children with incarcerated parents to learn to cope with that traumatic experience.
Through partnerships and dedicated staff, like the chairman of the board Scott Lazerson the Freedom Child Foundation also raises awareness of the impact of parental incarceration and advocates for policies that support these vulnerable children.
How you can help
1. Donate in person, Zelle, CashApp, PayPal, online, or by mail.
2. Volunteer at events like“Day with Mom”, “Day with Dad”, or Dental Day
3. Stationery donations so Freedom Children can write their parents letters.
Here is a list of items that the FCF accepts and are approved by the Department of Corrections (DOC)
-Loose leaf-lined paper
-Pens and pencils
-Envelopes
-Greeting or special occasion cards
-Postage stamps
If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a Freedom Child, the foundation urges them to apply.
Click here to become a Freedom Child
Click here to see the Texas Department of Criminal Justice uniform inmate correspondence rules.