#CallForLove

On July 1, 2025, the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), in partnership with Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI) and ViaPath Technologies, reduced the cost of video visitation from 15 cents to 12 cents per minute. It may sound like a small change—but for families with incarcerated loved ones, especially children, it’s monumental.

When my father was incarcerated, there was no such thing as video visitation. Every once in a while—every blue moon—I’d receive a package with a book and VHS tape of my father reading that book to me. That was OUR connection. I often wonder how different our relationship might have been if I’d had the chance to see his face in real time, to talk to him, to feel like he was still part of my world.

That’s why this cost reduction matters. It’s not just about saving a few cents—it’s about giving children a chance to build and maintain relationships with their parents. It’s about giving them a sense of control over how they want to navigate the reality of parental incarceration. And it’s about breaking down the stigma that says having an incarcerated parent is something to hide or feel ashamed of.

I believe that love—consistent, accessible love—is what keeps families going on both sides of the bars. Love Forward Foundation believes that every child deserves the chance to grow up knowing they are loved, even if a parent is behind bars. And WE believe that connection is a form of justice.

This move by VADOC and AFOI is a step in the right direction. It brings Virginia among the lowest in the nation for video visitation costs. But more importantly, it brings families closer together.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not the sentence that defines the story-it’s the love that survives it.

In hope, in action, in love,

Keisha M Nicholson