Women Against Mass Incarceration (WAMI) is a grassroots non-profit organization based primarily in Bridgeport, CT working to empower women, girls and families who have been directly/ indirectly justiceimpacted, affected by incarceration, traumasurvived, or seeking support. Through their re-entry work, advocacy and political education, their aim is to elevate, educate and empower women and girls in efforts to end mass incarceration. 

WAMI is keenly aware that the deadly combination of racism, poverty, trauma, and addiction leads to elevated numbers of women who are incarcerated. COVID-19 and its affiliated burdens – unemployment, food insecurity, mental health challenges, interpersonal violence, and trauma – continues to disproportionately impact communities both on the outside and inside prisons and jails. 

The Urgent Response Grant will support WAMI’s ongoing projects such as providing Christmas care packages to women in prison and jails including critical hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) products, combating food insecurity by providing food to women who are either re-entering their communities after release from prison or to impacted community members who have lost jobs and are facing economic disaster, as well as work with an attorney to seek clemency and sentence modification for women in prison.