NaNoWriMo is a non-profit that has since 1999 empowered writers everywhere. Especially, children through programs in schools and libraries around the world.

Recently, NaNoWriMo has started a campaign empowering prisoners in writing by sending encouraging messages to prisoners asking for first and last name and a message.

However, when you look at the set up NaNoWriMo gives children access to put their first and last names and a message to a prisoners including murders and pedophiles. Sending a child’s first and last name to a prisoner is giving a child’s contact information to a stranger prisoner which is wrong especially without parental consent.

Therefore we are asking NaNoWriMo in order to protect the children to:

1) Not Ask or Collect Any Children’s First and Last Names.

2) Not Allow or Give Access to Any Minors To Be Able To Send Any Messages to Prisoners Without Parental Consent Given First.

or 

3) Restrict The Ability To Allowing Only Adults 18 years or Older to Be Able To Give Real Names and Messages To Prisoners. 

I think encouraging writers is a beautiful dream even in prisons which I wholeheartedly support. I have supported and fundraised for NaNoWriMo for 12 years because they are an awesome organization. However, NaNoWriMo has a huge base of children they work with and with this specific project I strongly believe changes need to be made to protect those children.