Dear Friends,

In partnership with solitary survivors, the more than 300 organizations from diverse faith traditions that comprise the National Religious Campaign Against Torture form the backbone of our advocacy community. In 2023, NRCAT has been privileged to work with national, regional, statewide, and local faith organizations to expand the movement to end solitary confinement. 

I invite you to donate to NRCAT’s year-end matching gift campaign, Rising Together for Human Rights, to strengthen such efforts to educate and equip religious communities to advocate for an end to torture, without exception. 

NRCAT’s film, Torture in Our Name, which was designed to inform and motivate communities of faith toward active involvement in campaigns to end solitary confinement, has been a key resource in our outreach efforts this year. For just a few examples, screenings of Torture in Our Name have been hosted by groups as diverse as the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, D.C., the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, and statewide by the Maine Council of Churches. NRCAT national staff and local allies tabled and promoted our faith resources at other major national religious conferences, including the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. and the 34th General Synod of the United Church of Christ in Indianapolis – which passed a resolution urging congregations throughout the denomination to work to end solitary confinement. 

Webinars have been another important tool for our religious outreach and education this year. NRCAT has presented on webinars for faith communities interested in working to end solitary confinement, including Religions for Peace USA, JustFaith Ministries, The Episcopal Church, the United Religions Initiative (URI), and the Multifaith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration (EMI). Tune in here to see some of these presentations!

Your donation during our year-end challenge match fundraising drive will support NRCAT’s efforts in 2024 to build upon our engagement with interfaith members as they use their voice to advocate for human rights for all. Each dollar donated will help us reach our Challenge Match of $40,000. Thank you for all that you do to support this sacred work!

With gratitude,

Laura Markle Downton, M.Div.
Director, NRCAT Faith and Community Engagement