Helping Families Stay Connected Through the Healing Power of Reading
Staying in Closer Touch is dedicated to helping families separated by incarceration maintain meaningful connections through the healing power of reading.
Each week, our volunteers enter correctional facilities to work with mothers, fathers, and grandparents who choose a book to read aloud for their child. We record each reading, then send the child a special package containing the recording, the brand-new book, and a personalized, hand-crafted card created by their parent or grandparent.
This simple yet powerful experience is at the heart of our mission. Hearing a parent’s voice while following along in the very same book strengthens the bond between parent and child, even when they are apart. Our program not only nurtures family relationships but also encourages a lifelong love of reading and learning.
As parents read, we encourage them to engage with the story by discussing the illustrations, colors, and characters. These conversations help children develop language skills, stimulate their imagination, and foster an appreciation for the artwork that brings each story to life.
“I’m looking forward to my children getting the recordings, reading a book I picked just for them.”
Our Team
Our board and volunteer team bring a strong and complementary blend of expertise, lived experience, and commitment that directly strengthens the effectiveness of Staying in Closer Touch. The board includes professional educators, a children’s book author, and an experienced nonprofit manager—each contributing specialized knowledge in learning, storytelling, and organizational leadership. Together, they provide thoughtful guidance on program design, literacy development, and sustainable nonprofit operations. Supporting this leadership is a dedicated group of 36 volunteers, ranging from college students to individuals from a wide variety of professional and personal backgrounds. This diversity creates a dynamic and resourceful organization where fresh perspectives, practical skills, and deep community commitment come together. The result is a well-rounded team capable of both visionary planning and hands-on execution, ensuring the organization remains responsive, effective, and deeply connected to the families it serves.
Board Members
President, Marsha Chamberlin
Vice President, Jan Brimacombe
Secretary, Quincy Northrup
Treasurer, Ann Furtwangler
Members at Large
Barbara McConnell
Deb Pilutti
Janice Rushton
Staying in Closer Touch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization reorganized and programming since 2023. Our program is modeled after successful family literacy initiatives across the country that recognize the importance of maintaining strong family relationships and creating positive, emotionally supportive programming within correctional facilities.
We are grateful for the enthusiastic support of the Michigan Department of Corrections, particularly at the Huron Valley Women’s Correctional Facility, as well as the Washtenaw County Jail. Their partnership has been instrumental in helping us strengthen family bonds and bring comfort, hope, and the joy of reading to children and their incarcerated loved ones.
