Women’s Storybook Project of Texas – 20th anniversary timeline
2003
The Outreach Committee at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church provided support, supplies, and volunteers for the beginning of the Storybook Project. Warden Nancy Botkin allowed the program to begin at the Hilltop Unit with 5 volunteers carrying tape recorders, 25 books and cassettes.
2004
The Lane Murray Unit wel- comed Women’s Storybook Project.
National Crime Prevention Council chose WSP as one of the top strategies in the coun- try for Faith and Restorative Justice.
2005
First logo design and a tri-fold brochure were printed.
Woodman State Jail imple- mented the program.
2007
BookNotes, the WSP newsletter, was first published.
Three units: Lane Murray, Woodman State Jail, and Hill- top provide the program.
2009
The Women’s Storybook Project of Texas was selected to receive a prestigious Governors’s Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Award. To be chosen is truly an honor, and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice would like to recognize the WSP for its efforts to improve the lives of incarcerated mothers and their children.
2010
Support continues with funding from multiple religious institu- tions. Fortunate to have been a recipient of the Juanita Pe- terson Fund through Westlake Methodist.
2011
WSP was chosen by McComb’s School of Business, UT, Austin, for website redesign.
Rice University, Women’s Studies, partners with WSP.
2012 / 2014
3rd Governor’s Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Award was received WSP received permission from TDCJ to take laptops into the units to put moth- ers’ voices on CDs
New marketing video, “The Story of Storybook”, was placed on KLRU website.
A new marketing event, An Open Book Party, was given.
2015
The WSP logo was redesigned.
Board writes first strate- gic plan with the support of Ellen Balthazar.
Articles and publications:
- Austin American Statesman
- New York Times blog, “Motherlode” had two WSP entries
- Huffington Post featured WSP on live- stream broadcast
2016 / 2017
WSP now serves seven facilities. Initial steps to introduce our program in the Lockhart Cor- rectional Facility begins.
The Shield-Ayres Foundation awarded WSP a $5K unrestricted grant for operating expenses. Also earned a $2K grant from the Austin Pi Beta Phi Foundation.
Amplify Austin Fundraiser raised nearly $9K in this annual city-wide fundraising campaign.
The first Annual Fundraising Luncheon oc- curred with the help of Lisa Holleran. Reader’s Circle membership begins.
2018
The Women’s Storybook Project of Texas has been selected as the 2018 Texas Center for the Book Literacy Award winner.
WSP welcomes new executive director, Jill Gonzalez.
2019
First Junior League grant was awarded.
New supporters this fall: Tocker Foundation and HEB Tournament of Champions.
WSP Store opens!
2020
WSP launched its 10th program in January.
On October 9, UT Austin’s The Daily Texan featured an excellent article about WSP. The article is available online at thedailytexanonline.com
March – Due to the Covid-19 pandemic all WSP visits to prison were suspended.
2021
July – Texas Department of Criminal Justice visitation opens up.
October – WSP returns to prisons!
WSP serves 12 units total.
2022
WSP welcomes Marty Loeber as its new President. Judith steps down after 10 years as board president.
WSP introduces bonding activities, beginning with a Team Leader Retreat.