Stories, Guides, and Resources

Pelipost Blog

Real stories and practical guidance for families staying close to a loved one who is incarcerated. Written with, and for, the people living this every day.

Resolution to Reconnect: Your 2026 Pledge to Stay Connected With Your Loved One

A practical guide to showing up all year, with research on why your mail and photos matter more than you might think.

CDCR Tablet Transition: What California Families Need to Know

A plain-language guide to the ViaPath to Securus switch, what it means for photos already sent, and how to keep your connection steady through the change.

Holidays With an Incarcerated Loved One: The Ultimate Guide for Families

Real ideas from families who have lived this, on how to keep the holidays warm when someone you love is away.

Finding Strength in Community: How Connection Transforms the Journey

Advocates and families share what community support really looks like, and why you are never walking this road alone.

Strengthening Family Bonds: 300 Letters' Journey of Hope and Healing

How Amanda and Legend turned nearly 300 handwritten letters into a movement that helps families heal from the inside out.

Prison Pen Pals 101: An Interview With the Founders of Wire of Hope

A beginner friendly guide to becoming a pen pal, with advice on safety, first letters, and the long-term impact of showing up.

Choosing the Right Photo Service: A Guide for Families Staying Connected

Green flags, red flags, and the questions to ask before trusting anyone with your family photos.

5 Game-Changing Reasons PeliPALS Is the Best Way to Stay Connected

How a PeliPALS membership makes sending photos simpler, more predictable, and easier on your budget.

How to Maintain a Strong Relationship: Advice From Love Within Walls

Paige and Gigi from the Love Within Walls podcast on communication, self-care, and keeping love strong across the distance.

The Ultimate Guide to Helping Loved Ones Reenter Society

Reentry strategist Tanaine Jenkins on the Second Sentence, the power of mail call, and how families can truly help after release.

Mental Health Matters: Supporting Families With Loved Ones in Prison

Understanding the emotional weight families carry, and the tools that help lighten the load.

How We Were Built on Second Chances: Life After Incarceration

The Pelipost origin story and why second chances are woven into who we are.

Prison Art: How It's Elevating Creativity and Connection

Stories of the artists inside and the meaning that travels home on every page.

Tablets in Prison: A New Communication Method Behind Bars

An overview of how tablets are reshaping communication inside facilities, and what that means for families.

Spending the Holidays in Prison

What the holidays look like from the inside, and small ways your mail can change a whole day.

Love Never Gives Up: Having Someone You Love in Prison

A reflection on the quiet, steady kind of love that shows up, letter after letter, year after year.

Greeting Cards Deliver Hope at Mail Call

Why a card with your handwriting on it lands differently than almost anything else.

Sending Photos to Your Incarcerated Loved One

A straightforward walkthrough of how to send photos, and what makes them land best.

Bobby Bostic Released on Parole After Serving 27 Years

A story of sentencing reform, resilience, and the long road to coming home.

The Importance of Person-First Language

Why the words we choose matter, and how small shifts in language change how people are seen.

What Is Global Incarcerated Loved One Day?

The story behind a day dedicated to the families who love someone on the inside.

Advice for Prison Wives: An Interview With Ashley Martinez

Ashley shares what she has learned about patience, partnership, and building a life together across the distance.

What Is It Like Spending Christmas in Prison?

Honest reflections on the season from people living it, and ways families are bridging the gap.

How Thanksgiving Is Celebrated in Jail or Prison

A look at Thanksgiving behind the walls, and what families can do to bring the holiday closer.

Celebrating 10 Years of Sobriety With Our Co-Founder Becky Calderon

Becky's story of recovery, reconnection, and the family chapter that became Pelipost.

How to Make Sure Your Loved One Receives Real Photos, Not Copies

The difference between real prints and scanned copies, and why it matters at mail call.

Veronica Martinez Shares Her PeliPALS Experience

A member spotlight on why PeliPALS has become part of her family's rhythm.

Use a Prison Catalog to Send a Gift to Your Loved One

A walkthrough of approved gift catalogs and how to use them well.

Bobby Bostic's PeliPALS Story

Bobby's reflections on the letters, photos, and people who kept him going.

How to Stay Positive in Jail

Everyday practices for holding on to hope when the days feel long.

Creative Mail Ideas for Your Loved One

Fresh ideas for letters, cards, and photos when you want to send something thoughtful.

Roman Mendez's PeliPALS Story

Another real family, another reason consistency matters.

Why Pelipost Is the #1 App to Send Pictures to Your Loved One

What sets Pelipost apart, in our own words and our customers'.

Fear: The Psychological Impact of Incarceration

An honest look at the mental weight of being inside, and how connection helps carry it.