Mary House of Hospitality

Mary House of Hospitality offers weekend hospitality to low-income women and families visiting inmates in the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) at Oxford, WI.

As a Federal prison, FCI Oxford houses inmates from throughout the United States, and many families must travel long distances in order to visit. It’s rural location and lack of public transportation make visiting especially difficult for many families.

Mary House was founded as a Catholic Worker house in l989 in response to the the particular needs of families traveling with small children. It is staffed by volunteers who share a commitment to easing the burden of children who must travel in order to maintain ties with an incarcerated parent.
Mary House volunteers provide basic overnight hospitality to women and families visiting inmates at FCI Oxford. The house is an older farmhouse located about halfway between FCI Oxford and the town of Wisconsin Dells. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a play area and dining area are available to guests. The house is open by reservation for weekend visiting at the prison, subject to the availability of volunteers. Mary House is usually closed between 8AM and 3P,M while the visiting room is open at FCI Oxford. Dinner and breakfast are available as is limited transportation to and from FCI Oxford for families who have not arrived by car. Transportation must be arranged by reservation. Because the space in Mary House is shared by visiting families we are limited to serving women, children and families, and are not able to accommodate single men.

Absolutely NO WEAPONS, alcohol, or controlled substances are allowed anywhere on Mary House property.

Reservations

If you are planning to visit someone at FCI Oxford and want to stay at Mary House please check availability and make a reservation before purchasing travel tickets. Mary House has limited space and is staffed completely by volunteers, so space is not always available.

You can talk with a volunteer or make reservations by phone or by email.

To reach a volunteer by phone, call us at 608-844-4162. Please be patient and try again if you do not reach someone right away. Mary House has no paid staff and there is not always someone available to answer the phone.

To make a reservation by email, please contact us at maryhousewis@gmail.com to find out if space is available. Be aware that your reservation is NOT confirmed until you hear back from us. This may take some time.