What is Global Incarcerated Loved One Day?

What if there was a holiday just for those experiencing family incarceration? Each year on August 8th, we dedicate a day to our incarcerated loved ones to show them that they are still loved and supported, even while behind bars. But what exactly is Global Incarcerated Loved One Day, and why was it started? Keep reading for the story behind the day and how you can take part this year.

The Backstory

Back in 2017, the Pelipost team was noticing unique holidays popping up left and right. Between seeing “National Friendship Day,” “National Boyfriend Day,” and even “National Dog Day,” an idea came to them. Why not create a holiday for the community of people affected by incarceration?

“We wanted to dedicate a day to come together and spread positivity and love among this community,” said Natalie Calderon, Chief Marketing Officer of Pelipost. “Some incarcerated loved ones have longer sentences than others. We wanted to show them that they are not alone no matter the circumstance.”

The Pelipost team came up with “Love Your Inmate Day,” to be celebrated each year on August 8th.

A More Inclusive Name

In 2023, our team made the decision to change the name of our annual Love Your Inmate Day celebration to Global Incarcerated Loved One Day. We want to continue our efforts to prioritize person-first language in everything we do while including our global Pelipost Fam all around the world. Using person-first language is a powerful tool for promoting empathy, reducing stigma, and creating a more inclusive society. By choosing our words carefully, we can help to build a more supportive community.

Global Incarcerated Loved One Day is still celebrated annually on August 8th.

Celebrate Global Incarcerated Loved One Day annually on August 8th.

The Meaning of Global Incarcerated Loved One Day

The intentions of Global Incarcerated Loved One Day (GILO Day) are not only to show your incarcerated loved one that you care, but also to get in touch with other friends and families affected by incarceration. The significance of this day is to show that no one is alone in this journey, whether behind bars or on the outside.

“This is important because there’s a stigma surrounding this community and people don’t talk about it,” says Calderon. “To break through that wall and recognize that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s okay. It means a lot to say, ‘We can relate and we’re here for you.’”

How You Can Celebrate

How can you take part in Global Incarcerated Loved One Day? There are multiple ways to get involved with the celebration in 2023. These include:

Custom Photo Calendars

Celebrate GILO Day in a truly special way with our custom photo calendars. Customize your calendar with your own photos, and honor the bond with your incarcerated loved one throughout the year. Order your custom calendar today at the GILO Day shop!

Show Your Support With Swag

Introducing our brand new Global Incarcerated Loved One Day merchandise collection! Show your solidarity and make a positive impact by getting your hands on our exclusive PopSockets, calendars, stickers, lanyards, and more!

But it gets even better! With each purchase from our Global Incarcerated Loved One Day collection, a portion of the proceeds goes directly towards Pelipost’s Student of the Month Program and Pelipost’s Overcoming Adversity Scholarship. By rocking our merch, you’re not only making a fashion statement but also empowering children with incarcerated parents to thrive and succeed.

Send Your Loved One a Dedication

Create a dedication to your incarcerated loved one on the GILOD Facebook page or Instagram page. All you have to do is send us a photo and a message about your loved one to love@pelipost.com. We will be sharing the dedications on our social media all day from August 1st – 8th. Or, share a selfie of you and your GILO Day bracelet or other swag and we’ll share it!

Global Incarcerated Loved One Day Giveaway

Take part in the GILO Day Giveaway and win an incredible prize package!

Three (3) lucky winners will receive:
🔹 One (1) $50 Visa Gift Card
🔹 One (1) GILO Day Bundle (includes PopSocket, bracelet, lanyard, 2023 calendar, sticker, greeting card)
🔹 One (1) FREE photo order (up to 20 4×6 photos)

Here’s how it works ⬇️
•Step 1️: Create original artwork that says ‘8/8 GILO DAY.’ For example: write it in chalk on the sidewalk, create a poster, color it on a piece of paper, etc. Get as creative as you want! 🎨
•Step 2️: Take a picture of your artwork 📸
•Step 3️: Email your picture to LOVE@pelipost.com 📨

All entries must be submitted by Saturday, August 5th, 2023 at 11:59pm PST. Winners will be announced on Global Incarcerated Loved One Day on August 8, 2023 and will be notified via email. 🤍

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos in honor of GILO Day! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

June 14, 2023June 14, 2023

Prioritizing person-first language: Why we avoid the word “inmate”

You may be asking yourself, “What’s wrong with using the word inmate?”

Perhaps you found us by searching “send photos to inmates.” At Pelipost, we respect the experiences of both incarcerated people and their families. We have lived it ourselves from both sides. Our mission is to create a more compassionate and inclusive environment for families experiencing incarceration, whether by sending photos to prison or using people-first language when referring to someone who is incarcerated. The word “inmate” defines a person by one part of their life, and is loaded with stigma and dangerous implications. Our incarcerated loved ones and their families have told us that the word feels hurtful and dehumanizing. That’s why we want to remove the word “inmate” from our vocabulary.

Person-first language promotes respect and humanity for all

Person-first language is an important concept that prioritizes people’s identities over their circumstances or conditions. It acknowledges the humanity and dignity of individuals by using respectful language that emphasizes their personhood first and foremost. This approach is especially crucial when discussing individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system.

For families experiencing incarceration, using person-first language is particularly important as it helps to reduce stigma and promote empathy. Referring to a person as an “incarcerated loved one” instead of an “inmate” acknowledges that they are more than just their incarceration. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining relationships and connections with them. This language recognizes that they are a person first, and that their current circumstances are just one aspect of their identity.

Using person-first language is also a way to shift the focus away from punishment and towards rehabilitation and support. By using language that is respectful and empathetic, we can create a more understanding environment for families experiencing incarceration. It can help to reduce the shame and isolation that these families often experience. It can also encourage a more positive and hopeful outlook for the future.

Overall, person-first language is a powerful tool for promoting empathy, reducing stigma, and creating a more inclusive society. By choosing our words carefully, we can help to build a more supportive community.

What about Love Your Inmate Day?

We’re glad you asked. We’ve made the decision to change the name of our annual Love Your Inmate Day celebration to Global Incarcerated Loved One Day! We want to continue our efforts to prioritize person-first language in everything we do while including our Pelipost community all around the world. Global Incarcerated Loved One Day is still celebrated annually on August 8th.

The easiest way to celebrate Global Incarcerated Loved One Day is by sending photos to your incarcerated loved one through the Pelipost app. You can download the app for free at the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can also shop for gifts and show your support with our exclusive GILO Day merch at the Global Incarcerated Loved One Day online store. Part of the proceeds go toward supporting children of incarcerated parents through Pelipost’s Student of the Month Program. There are many different ways to celebrate your incarcerated loved ones this year.

Love Your Inmate Day is now Global Incarcerated Loved One Day! Celebrate with us on August 8th.

Why do I still see “inmate” being used on your website?

You may have noticed the use of the term “inmate” on our website. While we are committed to using person-first language, such as “incarcerated person” or “incarcerated loved one,” this can harm our search engine rankings and make it harder for people to find us. So if you see the term “inmate” in certain places on our site, we want you to know why. We are working to change this and hope you’ll join us in our mission to create a more compassionate and inclusive environment for families experiencing incarceration.

April 3, 2023April 3, 2023

How We Were Built on Second Chances: Life After Incarceration

JOE AND BECKY CALDERON DURING AND AFTER BECKY'S INCARCERATION

Pelipost was founded on a second chance. Our story is just one example of success after incarceration. We believe that every person has dignity and potential. But approximately 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, and other things they need to reach that potential. This April, we’re joining our friends at Prison Fellowship to celebrate Second Chance Month and and unlock brighter futures for people with a criminal record. We sat down with Pelipost’s Co-Founder and COO, Becky Calderon, to hear about her Second Chance after incarceration, and the journey it took to get there.

Tell us how your Second Chance story started.

In my case, it was my actual incarceration that led to my second chance experience. I consider myself extremely blessed, extremely lucky that I had this opportunity that so many people don’t have.

But was it in my plan? No, but I knew that my son had thought about creating an app to send photos, and I was driving him crazy wanting pictures. I got to a point where I felt like he wasn’t listening to the importance of what it means to me. And I’d say, “I really need to see some pictures. I need to receive them.” And then him finding it hard to send them and then him finally saying, “you know what, there’s a need for this because it’s taking me too much hassle to send my mom pictures.” So, it was a blessing. But my incarceration actually created my second chance.

@pelipost
Our story created our purpose. Our purpose is to help incarcerated families and their loved ones bring the outside in, one photo at a time. 🧡 #pelipost #photostoprison #prisontiktok
♬ bound 2 – FILMSTELLAR

Did you feel like you were prepared to reenter society when you were released? Did you face obstacles to getting a job, finding a place to live? Did you have a support system of people who were there for you?

I had no idea of what I was gonna do, but the one thing that I did know was that I had family. That in itself is a blessing- I had family that still believed in me. They knew I had made a mistake and still believed that I could come out and be productive in some way. So in that way, I was winning already.

When you’re inside, you look around and you see people planning on getting out that have no idea where they’re gonna go. No idea where they’re gonna spend their first night. Trying to find a shelter to go to. So I was already ahead of the game. I knew who was going to be picking me up. I knew my parents had a room for me. I had a head start, which is huge. Huge because without, I can’t imagine how scary that would have been, for so many others not knowing. You’re almost scared to be free. Because on the inside, you know where you’re sleeping, you know where you’re eating. Then you get out, and you have no idea. I couldn’t imagine that.

*Becky’s journey from incarceration to co-founding Pelipost with her son and*
*Pelipost CEO, Joseph Calderon*

Did you feel the pressure of stigma after your release?

I think that the hardest critic was myself. I was coming home to my parents. My dad was beginning to suffer from Alzheimer’s. And again, I don’t wanna say that was lucky, but it was luck that I came out at the perfect time where he needed me.

So I didn’t have to turn right around and go look for a job. Family- that was my foundation. Being able to go home and help my mom take care of my dad saved me. It felt almost like a relief to me because I didn’t know what I was going to do. I knew I had a skill. I knew I had management experience. I knew I was educated. But I felt that I lost all my credibility. And I still feel that in ways. All of a sudden I was at the top of my career, and I went so far down.I knew I would have to demonstrate and prove myself again. And I didn’t know if I had that in me. I did not know if I could do that again. That was very scary because I could only imagine if I failed, what that failing could do to me.

Would you say that your family has been the key to unlocking that second chance for you?

Absolutely. 100%. And I’ll tell you why. The fact that my one and only son knew that his mom had made a mistake, but stood firm in his support. I almost had to prove to him and say “Thank you for believing in me. I’m gonna come out and show you I can do this. I’m going to fix things.” He could have easily drifted away. He was out of college and he could have just separated himself, but he chose not to. He chose to show me support. That was huge. My mom was a little different. She would write all the time, but she said, “I will never come visit you.” She was very strict, but I knew I had her support and my dad’s. When I would call home, he would just express how excited he would be that I was coming home soon.

Family for me was the number one motivator. It’s what kept me trying- the word is trying because if you don’t try, there’s no sense in anything. And it’s really very easy to feel overwhelmed at what you have in front of you. The mountain that you have to climb to try and prove yourself to try and say, “I’m worthy of a second chance. I’m ready for someone to give me a try again. Yes, I made a mistake, but I can still do something productive.” You’re more than that mistake. More than your worst moment.

There’s a little part of me that feels a little guilty and I shouldn’t, but I do because I consider myself so blessed that I got my second chance after incarceration. The guilt comes from knowing that many people that don’t have that. A second chance is the hardest thing to believe in. It’s the hardest thing to do if you’re starting from scratch. I took advantage of my second chance. Because I had a wonderful opportunity in my family and I knew I couldn’t mess this up. I could have, but I didn’t.

My heart hurts for people that have to start with nothing. But I love seeing things like Prison Fellowship and the advocacy groups that are fighting with you to give you that second chance after incarceration, to find you people that can help. Because you need help- everyone needs help. You can’t do it alone. 99.9% of failing is because you’re alone. Because I wasn’t alone, I was blessed. And I just say to people that are alone, to please look towards the advocacy groups that are out there because they are there with open arms, open hearts, willing to help. Find support, because being alone makes it too easy to give up. All you have to do is try.

Millions of people in America have a criminal record. Many are ready to own their mistakes, learn from the past, and become who they’re meant to be. But it’s harder than it should be. At every step of the journey—by unjust laws and daily hurdles—they’re reminded of who they were. Learn more about Second Chance month and how you can take action to #bethekey to unlocking second chances for Americans with a criminal record here.

June 1, 2022June 17, 2022

What is Love Your Inmate Day?

It’s almost time to celebrate our 5th Annual Love Your Inmate Day! Each year on August 8th, we dedicate this day to our incarcerated loved ones to remind them that they are loved, supported, and valued. Keep reading to learn more about this special day and how you can participate this year.

8/8 Love Your Inmate Day

This day was created to not only support our incarcerated loved ones but to shatter the stigma. Everyone makes mistakes, and it’s ok to talk about it. In fact, it’s good to talk about it because we’re all people, and we all deserve to feel loved and supported.

“We hope in turn this gives them the added peace of mind that their family and friends are thinking about them…”
Becky Calderon, Chief Operating Officer of Pelipost

“With everyday life on the outside racing by, we wanted to create a special day that reminds us to take pause and focus on our incarcerated loved ones, and what we can do to give them a little extra attention. We hope in turn this gives them the added peace of mind that their family and friends are thinking about them, and are here to support them through these difficult times” says Becky Calderon, Chief Operating Officer of Pelipost.

The intentions of Love Your Inmate Day (LYID) are not only to show your incarcerated loved one that you care, but also to get in touch with other friends and families affected by incarceration. The significance of this day is to show that no one is alone in this journey, whether behind bars or on the outside.

How to Participate

The Love Your Inmate Day website lists multiple ways to get involved in this year’s celebration. These include:

‘Love Never Gives Up’ Merchandise

Show support for your incarcerated loved ones by grabbing the latest products from our EXCLUSIVE Love Your Inmate Day Collection. Part of the proceeds are used to help children with incarcerated parents through Pelipost’s Student of the Month Program and Pelipost’s Overcoming Adversity Scholarship. You can purchase all ‘Love Never Gives Up’ Merchandise here.

Dedication Wall

Get your picture on our Dedication Wall! Get your “LOVE NEVER GIVES UP” bracelet, snap a photo, and email it to us at love@pelipost.com to be added to the 2022 Dedication Wall.

Love Your Inmate Day Giveaway

Finding ways to bring lightness and joy into a difficult experience is key to making it through the experience. Participate in the Love your inmate day giveaway for a chance to win all kinds of fun prizes, including a Visa gift card, a Pelipost t-shirt, a Love your inmate day bundle, and plenty of PeliPOINTS that you can redeem for free pictures on the Pelipost app. Learn how to enter here.

*The Pelipost Team with their ‘8/8 Happy Love Your Inmate Day!’ Posters*

8 Days of Dedications

Create a dedication to your incarcerated loved one on the LYID Facebook page. All you have to do is send us a photo and a message about your loved one. We will be sharing the dedications on our Facebook wall all day from August 1st-8th, 2021.

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos in honor of Love Your Inmate Day! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

May 18, 2022May 18, 2022

Pelipost Overcoming Adversity Scholarship

Joseph Calderon, the CEO and Founder of Pelipost, established the ‘Pelipost Overcoming Adversity Scholarship’ in 2021 to empower and reward students seeking a college education while overcoming the challenges of having an incarcerated parent/guardian.

“We know firsthand what it’s like to have a family member in prison while trying to attend college, and it’s not an easy journey. “
Joseph Calderon, CEO and Founder of Pelipost

Joseph was pursuing his college education while his mother was incarcerated. Because of his grit and endurance to overcome adversity, he was able to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Together, he and Becky began the Pelipost mission to serve families who are fighting the same battle to remain connected in such an isolating season. Pelipost is committed to helping meet the financial needs of those experiencing family incarceration, so they can pursue a college education and improve their quality of life.

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the first annual ‘Pelipost Overcoming Adversity Scholarship!’

Meet our Scholarship Recipients

Destiny Sanchez

“My goal is to work with foster youth. I’m currently an intern for a nonprofit organization that works with foster youth and the at-risk homeless. Many adults who have entered foster care don’t have driver’s licenses, bank accounts, birth certificates, etc., and these are some things I help them achieve within my internship. I also help them navigate financial aid and sign up for their local community college classes. As a former foster youth, myself, I can understand the barriers and challenges in pursing higher education. I try my best to lead by example and show them that it’s possible. I want to do humanitarian work in other countries one day. Meanwhile, I’m staying focused in school and within my internship.”

Xiomara Lindsay with her Pelipost Overcoming Adversity Scholarship Recipient Certificate

Xiomora Lindsay

“Although I haven’t fully decided what branch of business I want to work in, I plan on being an independent businesswoman and I have the work ethic to do what it takes to reach my goals. I would describe myself as optimistic, independent, and goal oriented. I am a very dependable and reliable person because if I say that I will do something, then I am bound to do it. I am a person that keeps their promises because I feel as though loyalty is a very important aspect of life. I am the type of person that works on a skill until I have perfected it. I’m always interested in learning new skills and interested in taking action to things that will help me advance in my career.”

Gabriella Marquez

“I am a sophomore studying political science and on the pre-law track at the University of Southern California. I am passionate about social justice and equality. I am determined to engage in legal advocacy and make a positive impact on under-represented communities.”

Jeremiah Coleman

“My goal is to take my nurse practitioner degree and work in impoverished communities to help those less fortunate despite their inability to pay. My uncle is 66 and watching his continuing demise is a reminder every day of the healthcare needs that beset minority communities. I just want to accomplish everything God has for me. The same miraculous God in the bible is the same God that is working in our favor today. He gets his done through people, I believe wholeheartedly I am one of those people. I live in a single parent household; my mother takes care of me and my 3 siblings. She also works as a caretaker over my uncle. We realistically don’t have the funds for me to go to school, but student loans are not an option. The funds will go straight to my schooling, I simply wish to accomplish my goals.”

Itali Jones

“I believe in following through with my dreams with dedicated, hard work. It is my goal to achieve my PharmD to not only better the future for me and my daughter, to start an organization dedicated to preventing and supporting substance abusers. I want to show my daughter that dreams are never too far from your reach, and that with consistency mixed with passion, anything is in your reach.”

Congratulations to all!

For more information about the Pelipost Overcoming Adversity Scholarship and to read each of the winning applications please visit: https://bold.org/scholarships/pelipost-overcoming-adversity-scholarship/

July 28, 2021June 1, 2022

The Story Behind Love Your Inmate Day

Love Your Inmate Day is fast approaching! Each year on August 8th, we dedicate a day to our incarcerated loved ones to show them that they are still loved and supported, even while behind bars. But what exactly is Love Your Inmate Day, and why was it started? Keep reading for the story behind the day and how you can take part this year.

The Backstory

The Pelipost team came up with “Love Your Inmate Day,” to be recognized each year on August 8th. 2021 will mark the fourth annual celebration of this day.

The Meaning of Love Your Inmate Day

How You Can Celebrate

How can you take part in Love Your Inmate Day? The Love Your Inmate Day website lists multiple ways to get involved with the celebration in 2021. These include:

Love Never Gives Up Frame

You can purchase an exclusive frame to recognize that a picture is worth 1,000 words. You can shop now here.

8 Days of Dedications

Love Never Gives Up Bracelets

Also available in the LYID store are the ”LOVE NEVER GIVES UP” silicone bracelets. These bracelets were made exclusively for Love Your Inmate Day. Get yours today!

Dedication Wall

Get your picture on the Dedication Wall! Get your “LOVE NEVER GIVES UP” bracelet, snap a photo, and share it with us to be added to the 2021 wall.

Love Your Inmate Day Giveaway

Take part in the Love Your Inmate Day Giveaway! Show us your most creative ways to celebrate LYID and show your incarcerated loved one that you care. Eight winners will receive a prize package including a $50 Visa gift card, (1) Pelipost t-shirt, (1) Love Your Inmate Day Bundle, and 2,000 PeliPOINTS to redeem in the Pelipost app.

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos in honor of Love Your Inmate Day! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

November 19, 2020November 19, 2020

4 Ways You Can Help Christmas in Jail Feel More Cozy for Your Loved One

The holiday season is a time filled with anticipation, excitement, and joy for most people. However, it can be the loneliest time of year for inmates. At Christmastime, incarcerated people may feel left out as they are separated from their families and their cherished holiday traditions. Here are four ways you can help Christmas in jail feel more cozy for your loved one.

1. Celebrate with an in-person visit.

A visit from family or friends during the holiday season will mean the world to your incarcerated loved one. They may be feeling sad or lonely, and a loving familiar face can brighten their spirits. At federal prisons, in-person visits are allowed on Christmas Day, even if it does not fall on a regular visiting day. On the other hand, at state facilities, not every location will be open on December 25th. Make sure to look online or call the facility your loved one is at before planning a Christmas visit. However, visiting your loved one does not have to fall on the day of the holiday. Any visit during the season will be beneficial to both you and your inmate. Make sure to plan your visit ahead of time and look up the rules and regulations for visits in your loved one’s specific facility. If you are unsure of how to approach the visit, follow these tips for what to talk about when visiting someone in jail.

2. Keep in touch with festive phone calls.

Phone calls can be a great way to keep in contact with your incarcerated loved one during the holiday season. A majority of families live very far away from their inmate’s facility, and with all the rules and regulations, visiting during the holidays may be difficult. If you do not get the opportunity to visit in person, or are only able to do it once or twice, speaking to your loved one on the phone is the next best way to help them feel the Christmas cheer. Sharing your joys and letting your incarcerated friend or family member know they are loved can make a huge impact on their outlook for the season.

3. Send books and magazines in lieu of gifts.

A traditional part of Christmas that prisoners miss out on is gift-giving. Facilities will not accept most types of presents that you would send to a friend or family member during the holidays. However, most facilities will accept books and magazines. Books and magazines are something your inmate will be able to enjoy over time, so they can act as the gift that keeps on giving. Some tips to remember when it comes to sending books include:

Do not send more than three books at a time.
All books must be new and soft cover (no hardcover or spiral bound for security reasons).
Always ship via USPS.
Books must come straight from the publisher (ie. Amazon).

When sending magazines to your incarcerated loved one, make sure to avoid publications with mature or sexual content, like Playboy. The facility will not accept magazines with adult themes and your inmate will not receive them. It is better to stick to more family-friendly or news-focused magazines, like Time or National Geographic.

4. Send holiday cards and family photos.

One of the simplest yet most impactful ways to make Christmas more cozy for your incarcerated loved one is to send family photos and cards. Having family photos will help your inmate feel included in holiday traditions and remind them that they are not alone. Pelipost can help you send these holiday photos and cards to make it to your loved one in time for Christmas. Before you send, make sure to check out the guidelines for what types of photos are accepted.

Happy Holidays!

Ready to send pictures? You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

August 7, 2020September 2, 2020

The Benefits of Staying Connected with Incarcerated Loved Ones

In leading up to Love Your Inmate Day, August 8th, 2020, we’re sharing the benefits of staying connected with incarcerated loved ones and highlighting one man’s journey.

Take a moment to think about the domino effect that occurs when someone goes to prison. It impacts, not only the incarcerated, but his/her family, community, co-workers, and others.

For the incarcerated, emotions can range from fear to anger to high levels of anxiety in anticipation of the unknown. These emotions often stay bottled up looking for any possible escape. Similarly, loved ones experience so many emotions as they adapt to their new situations without their loved ones.

For these reasons, you can see how critical it is for those incarcerated and loved ones to stay connected. They need to have an outlet to share these pent up emotions. It goes without saying, that given the limited interaction in prison, staying connected with loved ones has numerous benefits for those incarcerated. We would like to highlight some in particular…

Staying connected can prevent institutionalization by reminding loved ones of the freedoms that exist, giving them much needed hope, inspiration, and validation.
Two-way communication provides families and friends with the insight and opportunity to understand what their loved one is going through, leading to more thoughtful conversations.
Better connectivity means those incarcerated have a better chance of successfully integrating back into their family and community upon release.
The memories that are missed by those incarcerated often serve as powerful reminders and mental motivation, so they are less likely to be a repeat offender.
Most importantly, staying connected makes those incarcerated feel human, cared about, and heard.

Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing the journey and story of Tyrone Toliver, an inmate at Ironwood State Prison (CA). His life of self-proclaimed gang-banging changed when he found his outlet to connect with others. Tyrone is now able to talk about the topics that he was too scared to talk about when he was first incarcerated.

Read Part 1 of Tyrone’s story now – ‘My Journey Behind Bars’

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

May 18, 2020May 19, 2021

Pelipost Donating 2,000 Masks

Pelipost is more than an app devoted to printing pictures for your incarcerated loved ones. We are always working to make it easier to stay connected and also to make a difference in the lives of those affected by incarceration. That’s why Pelipost is donating 2,000 masks!

Prisons and jails are being hit hard by the coronavirus because of how difficult it is to accomplish social distancing inside correctional facilities. Concerns have been circulating not just among those who are incarcerated, but also among those who work there. Cook County Jail is one of many facilities that has been hit hard by this pandemic. Pelipost has taken action to help.

Joseph Calderon (Pelipost CEO) packing masks.

Pelipost is donating 2,000 masks to the inmates and staff of Cook County Jail to help contain the spread. The masks were officially shipped on Friday, May 15.

Here at Pelipost, we are committed to doing our part in order to keep inmates and correctional staff safe during this pandemic. We are happy to be able to take part in slowing the spread of COVID-19. We’re all in this together!

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

January 21, 2020February 25, 2020

Helping Children with Incarcerated Parents

The Pelipost Team had a busy holiday season from our Giving Tuesday campaign to sponsoring the XO Factor, Inc. Adopt-A-Family event. Pelipost is proud to give back to multiple organizations who help families impacted by incarceration.

Did you know….
1-in-28 American children have an incarcerated parent.

Making a Difference

Bethany McNeil is the founder of XO Factor, Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission to assist men, women, children, and families in rebuilding their lives after incarceration. With that being said, they are able to provide returning citizens with the services, support, and skills needed to become employed and self-sufficient.

Adopt-A-Family Event

Pelipost was a proud sponsor of the XO Factor, Inc. Adopt-A-Family event which provides children with gifts from their incarcerated parents. The Pelipost Team attended the event on December 16, 2019 to wrap gifts that would ultimately be delivered to children during the holidays.

The Pelipost Team wrapping gifts at the Adopt-A-Family Event.

Our CEO, Joseph Calderon, and our COO, Becky Calderon, shared their personal story with incarceration and how it effects all parties involved. They also brought awareness to the importance of staying connected to your incarcerated loved ones. Photos are a great way to share life’s special moments.

It brought great joy to our hearts to connect with families who have used XO Factor as a resource to better their lives upon release. Listening to the speakers share their experiences with recidivism and how they’ve made a point to give back to the community was amazing. We left the event truly inspired and ready to make an even bigger difference in 2020. Thank you XO Factor for all your great work in our community!

Don’t forget to send your incarcerated loved ones photos! You can download the Pelipost app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.