How to get Involved

Postcard Campaign

Note: The package policy postcard campaign is still alive and active, and people can still participate!

In April 2022, DOCCS quietly issued new rules around packages, drastically limiting the quality and access to basic necessities incarcerated people can receive.

Alliance of Families for Justice immediately began mobilizing our family members to send thousands of postcards to Governor Kathy Hochul demanding that the burdensome package policy be rescinded!

We still have postcards if you want to get involved. All postcards are pre-paid/pre-stamped and ready to be sent.

You can contact us to get your postcard(s) by filling out this form.

Please Note: NY zip codes only, and one postcard signed per person.

Email the Governor

Alliance of Families for Justice continues to push for Gov. Hochul to rescind the package policy with expansion to an email campaign. We will not give up! Below are the details and script script you can copy and paste, along with other details on how to send her a message, and watch the video above for even more help.

• First, click here:https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form.

• If you do not feel comfortable adding your own phone number, you can add AFJ's main number: (347) 973-0580.

• Under Topic - Choose “Criminal Justice.”

• For the Subject - Type in “New DOCCS package policy unduly burdens families!”

• For the Message - Type in (copy & paste): Dear Governor Hochul, I urge you to stand with the families of the incarcerated and rescind the DOCCS package policy of “vendor only packages.” This policy unduly burdens poor people, and denies incarcerated people access to fresh foods, fruits, and vegetables. Currently, mailed food packages are rotting before being delivered to our loved ones because the facilities do not process and deliver them in a timely manner. This will continue to get worse. For more information please read this Times Union article entitled Hochul Must Rescind New Package Policy at State Prisons which can be found at this link: https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Hochul-must-rescind-new-package-policy-at-state-17222511.php?IPID=Times-Union-opinion-river. As a voting citizen, I urge you to help with this issue!

Email Elected Officials 

We have expanded our push to include the local senators and assemblymembers.  We will not give up!  Please use these links to find your local Senator and to find your local Assemblymember. You can also use this updated script to continue to send to Gov. Hochul as well.

We have added a link to a well-written article about the issue as well as a statement about the current lack of timely delivery of packages to our loved ones and how package contents are already allowed to rot before our loved ones even receive them! 

Please use the script below, along with other details on how to send the messages. 

To email your Assemblyperson:

• Follow this link to identify who the person is (enter your address, and then click “Locate”).

• Click on “Visit Assemblymember’s Page.”

• Click on “Contact.”

• Copy their email address, and use it to send them the message below.

  • For the Subject Line - Type in “New DOCCS package policy unduly burdens families!”

  • For the Message - Type in (copy & paste): Dear [Insert name (senator, assembly person)],I urge you to stand with the families of the incarcerated and rescind the DOCCS package policy of “vendor only packages.” This policy unduly burdens poor people, and denies incarcerated people access to fresh foods, fruits, and vegetables. Currently, mailed food packages are rotting before being delivered to our loved ones because the facilities do not process and deliver them in a timely manner. This will continue to get worse. For more information please read this Times Union article entitled Hochul Must Rescind New Package Policy at State Prisons which can be found at this link: https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Hochul-must-rescind-new-package-policy-at-state-17222511.php?IPID=Times-Union-opinion-river. As a voting citizen, I urge you to help with this issue!

To email your Senator:

• Follow this link to identify who the person is (enter your address).

• Click on “Find my Senator,” and click on “Visit Senator's Page.”

• Click on “Message Senator” or “Contact.” If it is a contact form, fill it out, and copy and paste the message below. If it is an email, copy their email address, and use it to send them the message below.

  • For the Subject Line: Type in “New DOCCS package policy unduly burdens families!”

  • For the Message- Type in (copy and paste): Dear [Insert name (senator, assembly person)],I urge you to stand with the families of the incarcerated and rescind the DOCCS package policy of “vendor only packages.” This policy unduly burdens poor people, and denies incarcerated people access to fresh foods, fruits, and vegetables. Currently, mailed food packages are rotting before being delivered to our loved ones because the facilities do not process and deliver them in a timely manner. This will continue to get worse. For more information please read this Times Union article entitled Hochul Must Rescind New Package Policy at State Prisons which can be found at this link: https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Hochul-must-rescind-new-package-policy-at-state-17222511.php?IPID=Times-Union-opinion-river. As a voting citizen, I urge you to help with this issue!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Our families cannot continue to be punished by this new policy! Let's continue to let the Governor know she needs to rescind it NOW!