Know Someone on Rikers? - National Association for Public Defense

It's COLD on Rikers. Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) has created an Amazon Wishlist of items to help our detained clients get through the winter. With no heat, paper-thin uniforms, and a thin blanket, our clients need warm socks, thermals, and shirts to stay warm.

Do you know someone on Rikers? Call 646-971-2696 and we'll send them a package with warm clothes for the winter. Have handy their:

Name
Book & Case Number
Clothing Size
Facility

Thanks to the hundreds of people who purchased items from our Amazon Wishlist as a part of our campaign to collect warm clothing for our clients on Rikers facing cold conditions during the winter months. We collected over 600 men's thermals sets, 400 women's thermals sets, 500 packs of socks, 600 packs of underwear and 400 packs of t-shirts, and are working hard to get these to those who need them.

Because of this incredibly generous response, we have more items than our own clients can use and would like to provide the opportunity for more people to have access to these warm clothes that were so generously donated.

If you have a loved one or client at Rikers Island or another city jail in need of warm clothing, we will mail them a package of thermals, socks and underwear.

Call our hotline number at 646-971-2696 with name of the person and their facility, book & case number, and clothing size. Requests can also be made to dball@bds.org.

We're still collecting donations as the need for these and other items continues. Click here to view our Amazon Wishlist.

Hear Jail Services Social Worker Kelsey De Avila and Senior Staff Attorney Scott Hechinger on Brian Lehrer's show discussing the harsh conditions on Rikers and our campaign to deliver warm clothing.