Grant Site Update: 2023 Grant to Western New York: Clergy Jail Visiting Project
From the Final Grant Report

Tell us a bit about how your project unfolded.
The Clergy Jail Visiting Project has brought 15 clergy into Erie County’s two jails in 2023-2024, with another visit scheduled for the end of October. These clergy from various backgrounds (Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Episcopal, Baptist, Jewish) have interviewed around 60 incarcerated people. These include men and women, folks with disabilities, some in disciplinary segregation, and others receiving medical care for addiction or other health crises. We continue to visit so that our incarcerated neighbors can share their stories, feel less isolated, and we can encourage transparency.
Claudia Scheda, Episcopal priest in Buffalo, New York: “My experience in correctional facilities with CJVP (Clergy Jail Visiting Project) changed the way I viewed our justice system; but even more than that, it changed the way I understood Jesus’ imperative to visit the prisoner. My heart has been opened in a very real way to the much overlooked problem of human rights violations in the carceral system.”
Did this grant make a difference in how you see gratitude?
As the director of this project, I am able to experience it from all angles. Recruiting clergy, going to Albany for advocacy days, learning about our carceral system, and doing the visits themselves have opened my mind and heart in ways I could not expect. After witnessing the conditions of the jails, I am so grateful to have a comfortable bed and a clean home. After seeing the meals provided in our jails, I am filled with gratitude for my ability to choose what and when I eat. After hearing the stories of our incarcerated siblings, I am beyond grateful for the privileges and blessings that are part of my life. I am also amazed by the experiences of gratitude found by those who have limited freedoms and uncertain futures. In spite of the circumstances, community is found in the dorms and pods. Bible studies are had. Supportive relationships are made and sustained. The Clergy Jail Visiting Project as a whole is grateful for the United Thank Offering’s generosity that has made such a successful first year possible.
What are your plans going forward?
The 2024-2025 program year will be a continuation of visitation to both jails in Erie County, recruiting more clergy, and creating more opportunities for those incarcerated to share their stories. We plan to grow this project by connecting with clergy in nearby counties (Niagara and Genesee, for example), and by continuing to stay in contact with the clergy group forming in Rensselaer County. Another area of growth we aim to strive for is a deeper connection to the congregations that are located in the counties where these visits happen. There is a rich resource network that could be accessed as we share the experiences of clergy from these visits and the reality of our incarcerated neighbors. What a beautiful thing it would be for these congregations to pray for and support those who are often forgotten behind bars.