In the Fall 2001 newsletter I joyfully announced that major donations made by two of the attorneys who won compensation for the victims of the brutal attack on inmates at New York’s Attica State Prison, enabled our Attica Prison Visit Fund to become self-sustaining. I was ecstatic that we were able to endow this fund because I knew from my own experience how therapeutic these visits are for the children of political prisoners. And I was relieved because we no longer needed to siphon precious resources from our regular granting account to fund these vitally important visits.

To date the Attica Fund has awarded $152,347. But in yet another sign of the times, I’m sad to announce that for the first time in eight years the Attica Fund’s endowment has become inadequate.

This fund has powerful emotional significance for me because I would have virtually no memories of my parents if I had not visited them in prison. That is why I am making this personal appeal to all our supporters to make an additional contribution to replenish this fund. We only need $10,000 to shore up the Attica Fund, but we require every penny of your normal support for our regular granting program, as well. Just write “Attica Fund” on the memo line of any check intended for that use, so we can apply your donation to the proper account. You have my profound thanks.

—Robert Meeropol

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