4 Star Chicagoan sending books to female prisoners

CHICAGO -- This week's 4 Star Chicagoan is a woman who is using old books to bring new hope to women in prison. Vicki White, president of Chicago Books to Women in Prison, delivers entertainment, education and self-empowerment to incarcerated women.

Chicago Books to Women in Prison is an all-volunteer group that distributes paperback books free of charge to people incarcerated in women's prisons nationwide. They are dedicated to offering women behind bars the opportunity for self-empowerment, education and entertainment that reading provides. Incarcerated women send their requests for books directly. They match each request from the stock of thousands of donated books and send three books in each package. The most popular request of all time is a paperback dictionary.

Since everything is done through mail, the biggest expense is about $1,400 a month in postage. A donation of $10 will send three packages of books to women in prison. A donation of $200 will pay rent for a month.

There are many ways you can help by volunteering your time every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., providing a monetary contribution or donating books. Books can also be ordered from their Amazon Wish List or special request page on the website.