3 Thoughtful Holiday Gifts Your Inmate Will Really Love
décembre 21, 2017
While many of us look forward to the holiday season all year long, it can be a very difficult and lonely time for inmates.
Creating ways to stay in contact and be fulfilled can make spending holidays without family feel like you are still together.
As a family member or friend of an inmate, you can help your loved one enjoy some of the comforts of home to make the holidays brighter.
Most facilities have strict policies for inmate care packages and mailed items. However, there are many special gifts that you can send quickly and easily to support your inmate.
Here’s our list of the three thoughtful things to send inmates during the holiday season:
1. Commissary Money
While it may seem obvious, sending money to inmates can make a big impact on their quality of life. Although each facility is different, most inmates get three meals a day, a place to sleep, and not much else.
Even if you can send a few extra dollars each month, your loved one can buy necessities such as:
- Snacks
- Phone calls to you
- Shampoo
- Socks and shoes
- Vitamins and healthy food
Providing your loved one with commissary funds helps them purchase these items and makes their stay a little more comfortable.
2. Funds for Entertainment
Many facilities now provide inmates with access to a high-tech tablet. These devices are similar to common handheld tablets but made just for use in a facility.
Tablets offer special content and services for inmates to use during their stay (where available).
The tablets allow your loved ones to access educational and entertainment content, as well as helpful tools for communication or general on-site support.
With tablets, inmates have the ability to:
- place telephone calls to you,
- take educational courses,
- stream their favorite music,
- send messages,
- play popular games,
- and much more!
Some tablet content and services are free, such as select reading material, utilities (dictionary, calendar, calculator, etc.), and quick links to common facility tools. Other premium entertainment services such as music and games are available at an additional cost.
Providing your loved one with funds for premium services is a great way for your inmate to enjoy the holiday season.
3. Messages, Photo and Video Attachments
Sending correspondence is one of the best ways to help your loved one feel connected to home.
Inmates do not have direct access to the internet or email. However, many facilities now offer communication services that allow loved ones to send messages back and forth.
Wish your loved one a happy holiday, or even send them an inspirational quote for motivation.
Many facilities now allow you to attach photos and videos to your message. Sending photos and videos is a great way to share visuals and help your inmate feel connected to the outside.
Keep in mind, that messages, photos, and videos are subject to review by each facility; then they are shared with an inmate.
Conclusion
When choosing things to send inmates during this holiday season, consider these three options to make your loved one’s time away a bit better:
- Commissary money
- Funds for entertainment
- Messages, Photo and Video Attachments
You will want to check with the facility to determine if there is a limit on how much you can send or how frequently you can send to your inmate.
Posted In: Blog
