Written by Isabella Aranda Garcia
When were you founded?
Interfaith Prison Partnership, and its acclaimed Adopt-A-Prison program, all started when Dr. Hans Hallundbaek emigrated here from Denmark. Upon leaving the airport, coming from a country where the government takes care of its people, he was surprised to see signs that asked normal citizens to Adopt-A-Highway. Why would anyone want to, or need to, Adopt-A-Highway? That question stayed with him.
Many years later, when he had an”occupational correction,” as he calls it, he left his successful business career and went to theological seminary. That first sign he saw when he arrived in this country stayed with him. In seminary, he asked himself, “If we can adopt a highway, why not a prison?”
Soon after graduating from seminary, and while teaching at Sing Sing Prison, he met the General Presbyter of the Hudson River Presbytery, Rev. Dr. Susan Andrews. When she said to Hans that she had more people incarcerated in her presbytery than in the pews of her 81 churches, Hans and she knew they had to do something. It was at that point that Hans realized he could put his query about adopting a highway and why not a prison into action.
In 2007, Hans started Interfaith Prison Partnership with the goal of leading an international movement for all communities to adopt their local prisons.
What do you want people to know?
We work to uphold the inherent dignity and worth of incarcerated individuals by fostering a culture of care inside prisons and beyond their walls. We do this by connecting local faith-based organizations with their neighbors behind bars, partnering with prison administration and local government, and reminding incarcerated individuals that they are remembered and valued by the communities around them.
For women returning home, we create trauma-informed WellBeing communities that begin with four-day empowerment retreats and continue with ongoing support, connection, and mentorship after release. Together, these relationships form a living culture of healing, one that reduces isolation, strengthens reentry, and affirms that no one is ever truly forgotten.
Here is a recently published story about Hans’ idea becoming reality in Rwanda where people have so little to give…yet they gave!
Address: 31 Bedford Rd, Katonah, NY 10536
Phone number: (917) 892-8521
Website: interfaithprisonpartnership.org
This article was published in the January/February 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
To view all 2026 Connect to the Best winners, click here.
Isabella Aranda is a designer, writer and social media specialist with an M.A. in emerging media from the New Media Institute at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication. Driven by curiosity and inspired by timeless modern design, she blends creativity and strategy to craft compelling narratives that engage diverse audiences.
Her expertise spans digital marketing, content creation and UX design, with notable achievements such as co-creating the Georgia On Your Mind podcast and leading digital campaigns that significantly boosted engagement. A Venezuelan immigrant, Isabella brings a multicultural perspective to her work, enhancing her ability to connect with and inspire others.
