Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/211425
Sarasota News Leader November 15, 2013 Page 99 one need jumped out at him: jail ministry. He system and Goodwill to expand the number of called the man in charge of the program for books available, increasing the total to 6,500 the Diocese of Venice and found himself pray- in 2013 alone. ing alongside prisoners the next day. In 2012, Norris and his wife, Bobbi, applied for But he noticed he kept seeing the same faces tax-exempt status with the IRS, which evenagain and again. Prisoners would meet with tually came through this April, and the couple him, be released, then end up right back in jail. founded the Inmate Ministry Foundation in Norris realized that many couldn't read, not June. Norris has increasingly become a stubecause they were illiterate, but because they dent of incarceration challenges and statistics. didn't have glasses; they had no way to study He says one number absolutely floored him. or improve themselves while incarcerated. The "children of inmates have a 70% chance Norris started buying reading glasses in of ending up in prison," according to a report bulk and now distributes around 300 pairs a Norris came across that cited the Department month. "That gives you an idea of the volume of Justice. of inmate turnover there," he points out. So when Nolan called him and asked him to The jail also had just 200 books to loan to work on a family literacy program in Sarasota, prisoners, so Norris reached out to the library he didn't hesitate before saying "Yes." Selby Public Library at Five Points in downtown Sarasota will host the first Read to Me event on Saturday. Photo by Norman Schimmel