CFRC Prison Radio, May 13, 2020

Updates on COVID-19 behind bars, messages and song requests and tributes from our listeners outside and behind bars, and an interview and discussion about disturbances at Donnacona Institution in Quebec – provided by the John Howard Society.

CFRC Prison Radio, May 6, 2020

A new episode during COVID-19. A message from the Millhaven Lifer’s Group, updates, an interview with the vice-chair of the inmate committee at Warksworth Institution, voices from provincial and federal prisons about COVID-19, and a tribute to Tony Allen, who gave CPR our theme song and incredible music to the world. Rest in power.

Prison Radio for April 22, 2020

Messages and words of support, news updates on COVID-19 in Canadian prisons, and recordings from the noise demos and prisoner solidarity caravan – demanding early release for prisoners due to the pandemic – that came through Kingston this week.

Prisoner Emergency Response Fund

Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPeDN9YVoPvfVWV-hJT0Wc2goLRPA8jJpcJkMVZ2op4QlXRg/viewform

Questions here: prisonerfund@gmail.com

This emergency support fund supports prisoners re-entering the community and those that are still behind bars during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will give out one-time stipends of $225 to recently released prisoners and folks that are still incarcerated.

Since we need this fund to reach as many people as possible, please only apply once. We will continue to fundraise so that we can give out as many stipends as possible.

This fund is limited. Using community donations, we will continue to distribute funds for as long as we can. We recognize that this, too, will not be sufficient to bridge the deep gaps that this crisis has caused.

To preserve each other’s privacy and dignity, we will never publish the names or details of the recipients. Still, we will give periodic updates to our community on the number of people who have been served by this fund.

WHO ORGANIZED THIS SUPPORT FUND

We are a network of frontline workers, community activists, former prisoners, loved ones of those in prison and concerned community members. We are committed to ensuring that no prisoner is left behind in response to COVID-19.

Donations: https://www.gofundme.com/f/prisoner-emergency-support-fund

CFRC Prison Radio, April 15, 2020.

Updates on COVID-19 in Canadian prisons, call out for Prisoner Emergency Support Fund, solidarity actions, updates on Barton jail struggle, and requests and messages of support.

New Resource: noprisons.ca

A new website that is serving as a clearing house for all the information you could need about what is going on in Canadian prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CPR / Calls from Home for April 8, 2020

This week’s episode features updates on Grand Valley and Port Cartier, as well as the Laval Immigration Detention hunger strike victory, requests and messages of support from Bath, Joyceville and Millhaven Institution. + an interview with Kara Braun, a community chaplain and psychotherapist connected to local institutions with some advise and techniques for staying mindful, concentrated and focused during a very difficult time.

CFRC Prison Radio, April 1, 2020

Updates on COVID-19 in federal prisons, including the first diagnosis at Port-Cartier and Grand Valley Institution, musical requests from supporters of prisoners at Bath Institution, transcripts from an interview with the Joyceville Institution inmate committee chair, calls for depopulation and release of prisoners during the pandemic, and information on the Barton Jail, Laval Immigration Detention Centre and Burnside Jail solidarity actions and inmate protests.

Calls from Home and COVID-19

CALLS FROM HOME EVERY WEEK

All programs and visits are shutdown in jails and prison across the province in response to COVID-19. We’re continuing to hear that conditions inside are not great, and at this time those inside need your support right now.

From now until this pandemic is over, every Wednesday from 7-8pm, CFRC Prison Radio will be playing your messages, shout-outs and song requests for local prisoners on CFRC 101.9FM in Kingston. Our signal reaches Collins Bay, Joyceville, and most areas of Bath, Millhaven and Cape Vincent Correctional in Upstate NY.

Please call us today at 613-417-3359 and leave a message. Or tune in on Wednesday and call the request line at 613-533-CFRC. Feel free to reach out with tips about what’s going on and how we can support from the outside.

Calls from Home, March 25, 2020

Our monthly Calls from Home episode, in archive form. This last show was about the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian prisons – all programs and visits are shutdown in jails and prison across the province in response to COVID-19. We broadcasted advice and messages of support to those inside during these trying times.

As always, you can submit to our next call in show, which will be weekly during the COVID-19 crisis, in the following ways:

E-mail us at CFRCprisonradio [at] riseup [dot] net
Call us at 613-329-2693
Or write to us:

CPR c/o CFRC
Lower Carruthers Hall
Queen’s University
Kingston, ON
K7L-3N6