How to Send Care Packages to an Inmate in Prison?

Sending a care package to someone in prison is not as simple as boxing up items and shipping them from home. Most correctional facilities do not accept packages sent directly from individuals, and anything arriving from a personal address will be rejected at the mail room, regardless of what is inside.

Here is how it actually works.

Approved vendor programs. Most state and federal prisons that allow care packages require them to be ordered through an approved vendor. These are companies the facility has vetted and contracted with to provide pre-approved items. The most common providers include Access Securepak through the Keefe Group, Walkenhorst's, and Union Supply Direct. Each facility has its own approved vendor list, so confirming which vendors are accepted before ordering is essential.

What can be included. Approved packages typically contain food items, hygiene products, clothing within specific guidelines, and in some cases electronics like MP3 players or tablets. The specific catalog of available items varies by facility and by the vendor they use.

How to order. Once you know which vendor is approved at your inmate's facility, you visit the vendor's website, search for your inmate by name and ID number, and select from the approved catalog. The vendor ships directly to the facility.

Facilities that do not allow packages. Many facilities, particularly federal prisons and county jails, do not have care package programs at all. In those cases, putting money on the inmate's commissary account is the practical alternative. The inmate then purchases approved items through the facility's own store.

Before spending money on a package, call the facility or check their website to confirm whether a care package program exists and which vendor to use. Getting that information upfront saves the frustration of having an order rejected.