Project FANG: A Support Fund for Earth and Animal Liberation Prisoners

From Project FANG

Project FANG is a much-needed attempt to fill a gap in the ongoing support work for earth and animal liberation prisoners in the United States. Below is detailed information about the fund; we extend an invitation for prisoners and their supporters to use it. For now, the fund is limited to earth and animal liberation prisoners in the United States and their visitors. With additional funding, we hope to expand access to the fund in the future. You can donate by going to projectFANG.

As people with loved ones, friends, and comrades in prison (and in some cases, as people who have done time ourselves), we know how necessary and reinvigorating visits can be. They help us stay connected with one another and with the struggles we all care about. They help us overcome the separation of walls and wire. Unfortunately, visits are cost prohibitive for many of our friends, families, and comrades.

This project aims to help with the financial strain imposed on the families and loved ones of prisoners by providing cash allowances for travel expenses to and from prisons. The funds will be available in two separate amounts. Tier 1 will be a $300 allowance. Tier 2 will be a $500 allowance. If you will be using the fund, please carefully consider how much you, as a visitor, will need for travel expenses. Things to keep in mind might include: airfare/busfare/trainfare, car rental, hotel rental, money for the vending machines at the prison, et cetera. While we encourage you not to be afraid to ask for what you need, keep in mind that other people will be accessing this fund. If Tier 1 is enough to meet your needs, then that is what you should apply for. We also strongly encourage visitors to use any excess funds to further support prisoners, which might mean putting money toward commissary, ordering books for prisoners, or simply donating the money back to project FANG.

The size of the fund at any given time will guide how often you can apply for funds. Initially, each prisoner may apply for funds once per quarter (1st Quarter is January-March; 2nd Quarter is April-June; 3rd Quarter is July-September; 4th Quarter is October-December). Please remember that an application for funds does not ensure receipt of funds. We will do our best to accommodate all requests and we sincerely hope that we are able to do so. However, we might not always be able to meet everyone’s needs.

The process is simple and initiated by the prisoner.

We have already sent letters to all eligible prisoners—those imprisoned for taking action in defense of non-human animals and the earth (and who have subsequently not cooperated with the state). After the prisoner completes and mails in an application form, with contact information for up to four potential visitors, we will begin contacting their list of possible visitors to let them know they are eligible to receive funds. We ask that prisoners only include people who have been approved for visits by the facility they are in and they prioritize their list of visitors, as we will be starting by contacting the first person on their list and moving down the list from there. If the first potential visitor would like to receive the funds, they will fill out and submit an application form. If/when the application is accepted, we will mail a money order. If they do not wish to receive the funds, we will contact the next potential visitor on the list. Once someone accepts the money, that will count as the prisoner’s single use of the fund for the quarter.

If prisoners have any thoughts or ideas about project FANG or how to improve it, they are encouraged to include them with the response to the introductory letter we have sent to them. Prisoners know what their needs are better than we do, and the fund is here for them.

We realize that everyone is differently situated. If, for any reason, a prisoner you support is not able to respond to the introductory letter or to make direct requests for funds, we will not take it as a denial of need. We will make every effort to be in touch with support groups who might be better situated to correspond with groups such as ours.

Initially, project FANG will be facilitated by NYC Anarchist Black Cross and Sacramento Prisoner Support. More folks may become involved in the project should the need and interest arise.