For the last two years, Jalal Sabur has been connecting children with their imprisoned parents. From the dense urban city to the rural outskirts where New York State's penitentiaries are located, Sabur's Victory Bus has shuttled families to and from the prisons at a reduced rate.
The lack of public transportation in the countryside limits the access city families have to their loved ones behind bars, an issue the Victory Bus Project aims to resolve. Transportation, however, is only half the battle.
2.7 million children in the United States have a parent in prison, about 105,000 in New York alone. According to the Victory Bus Project's Indiegogo campaign summary, the communities with the highest rates of incarceration are also considered food deserts.
Sabur takes the Victory Bus Project a step further by providing the families with farm-fresh foods. By teaming up with the Primrose Hill School in Rhinebeck, home of the Primrose Hill Farm Collective, Sabur provides both a ride and a CSA share box of fresh Hudson Valley produce, meat, and dairy.
"In the two years of this project, I have seen the impact of bringing families together," Sabur says in his campaign video. "On these trips, we talk about food and visit local farms, which helps children decompress from a visit and reconnect to the land."
For the next five weeks, you can donate to the Victory Bus Project via their Indiegogo campaign. The project aims to collect $10,000, the equivalent of 20 full CSA shares for a family from June through the end of October.
The following levels of donation are available:
- $25—Thank You Postcard with original artwork from Primrose Hill School students.
- $50—Five stickers commemorating your support of the project.
- $100—Ticket to Farm Celebration, an afternoon of exploring the grounds, admiring the scenery, and toasting the Victory Bus Project's success, as well as a lesson about the "Farms Not Prisons" initiative.
- $125—Three Wildflower Seed Balls, all of the above perks, plus 3 wildflower seed balls sent in time for fall planting.
- $200—T-Shirt, a thank you card, an invitation to the farm celebration, plus a commemorative shirt.
- $300—Tote Bag, a thank you note, an invitation to the farm celebration, and a commemorative tote bag.
- $500—One Week of CSA Shares, one week of biodynamic vegetables from the Primrose Hill Farm Collective for the Hudson Valley/Brooklyn natives, or your choice of the above perks for the out-of-towners.
- $1,000—One Month of CSA Shares, one month of biodynamic vegetables from the Primrose Hill Farm Collective for the Hudson Valley/Brooklyn natives, or your choice of the above perks for the out-of-towners.
- $1,500—One Full Season of CSA Shares, one season of biodynamic vegetables from the Primrose Hill Farm Collective for the Hudson Valley/Brooklyn natives, or your choice of the above perks for the out-of-towners.
