The Abendscheins have been bringing children's books to prisons in Missouri since 1998.
Credit Jacob Fenston / KBIA
About 80 percent of the women at the Chillicothe prison have children.
Credit Jacob Fenston / KBIA
Suretta Collins has a four-year-old daughter. "I'm hoping she'll take me back," said Collins.
Credit Jacob Fenston / KBIA
Outside the St. Louis Zoo.
Credit Jacob Fenston / KBIA
Orangutans behind glass. "I got a little choked up, because I know how it feels to be caged up," said Barnes. "To be confined to just a little space -- it hurts."
Credit Jacob Fenston / KBIA
"Beautiful time, having an awesome time. What about you?"
In Missouri state prisons, about 60 percent of inmates have kids. That's 18,000 moms and dads behind bars – and tens of thousands of kids on the other side. To help those parents and kids connect, volunteers make their way through the metal detectors at Missouri state prisons with big tubs of blank tapes and CDs, stamped envelopes, and lots of children's books.