Prison Outreach - Gay Buddhist Penpals

This group is co-sponsored by Gay Buddhist Sangha and Gay Buddhist Fellowship of San Francisco, and is an extension of the Prison Outreach Program of the San Francisco Zen Center. As part of the program, you are anonymous and correspond via a pen name and using the return address of the SF Zen Center.

Currently over 100 members (corresponding with more than 150 inmates) comprise the network of practicing Buddhist volunteers who provide support for LGBT inmates interested in beginning or deepening a Buddhist practice while incarcerated.

We are by no means teachers, spiritual leaders or scholars. We are simply friends of the Dharma who believe that those on the inside and the outside of the walls can benefit from each other's practice as we correspond (co-respond). We all have our "prison walls" and we are all connected.

We recognize the special challenges and hardships that exist for anyone in prison wishing to pursue a spiritual practice, and realize that LGBT persons in prison face additional challenges and safety risks, making their spiritual practice all the more important, yet more difficult. We are the first network of penpals exclusively for LGBT inmates.

Our emphasis is exclusively on spiritual practice. We do not develop romantic relationships with penpals, exchange photos, or provide money, gifts or other favors (give or take) to help inmates get around the restrictions under which they live. We do not provide practical support.

For more information, please use our "Contact Us" tab above. Thanks for your support of this compassionate service.