📅 Updated: July 2026📦 In-Prison Guide🕐 11 min read
How to Send a Care Package to an Inmate
AllRecentArrests.us
· Published
· Updated
· 11 min read
Wanting to ship a box of snacks, clothes, and toiletries to someone you love is one of the most natural instincts families have. In almost every U.S. jail and prison, though, you cannot pack that box yourself and drop it in the mail. Facilities require approved vendor programs — companies that assemble pre-screened packages so contraband never enters the mailroom.
This 2026 guide walks through how those programs work, how to order through Access Securepak, Union Supply Direct, and Walkenhorst's, what the federal Bureau of Prisons allows (and does not), and when you should fund commissary instead of — or in addition to — a package.
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⚡ Quick Answer
Do not mail a homemade care package. Confirm the facility's approved vendor list, then order online from that vendor only — most often Access Securepak (accesssecurepak.com), Union Supply Direct (unionsupply.com), or Walkenhorst's (walkenhorsts.com). Enter the inmate's name and ID, shop the pre-approved catalog, stay within dollar/weight/frequency limits, and keep your confirmation. Federal BOP: packages from home generally require prior written staff approval and are limited to release clothing and authorized medical devices; books/magazines must come from the publisher.
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Major national package vendors families see most often
~30 lb
Common weight cap in some DOC package programs (incl. packaging)
7–10 days
Typical vendor guidance for package delivery to the facility
BOP
Federal: no home packages without prior written approval
🚫 Why Personal Packages Are Usually Banned
Mailrooms exist to keep drugs, weapons, and unauthorized electronics out of facilities. A homemade box from a family kitchen — no matter how lovingly packed — cannot be verified the way a sealed vendor shipment from a secure fulfillment center can. That is why DOCs shifted to vendor-only package programs:
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Pre-approved catalogs: every snack, shoe, and radio has already been cleared for that security level.
Secure fulfillment: vendors pack and ship from controlled warehouses; families never touch the contents after ordering.
Automatic limit enforcement: software blocks over-weight, over-dollar, or too-frequent orders before they ship.
Less staff time: officers inspect fewer random boxes and spend less time returning rejected packages.
If you mail a personal box anyway: it will typically be refused, returned, or destroyed under facility policy — and it can create problems for the inmate. Always use the approved vendor list for that facility.
🏘 Federal BOP Package Rules
According to the Bureau of Prisons' official communications page:
Inmates are not allowed to receive packages from home without prior written approval from the inmate's unit team or an authorized staff member.
The only packages an inmate may generally receive from home are those containing release clothing and authorized medical devices.
Inmates may receive magazines and hard/paperback books directly from the publisher (subject to the BOP's incoming-publications policy).
State DOCs publish the vendors they authorize. Ohio, for example, lists Keefe Group/Access Securepak, Union Supply Direct, and Walkenhorst's for food and sundry packages. California and many other states use overlapping vendor sets, sometimes with additional specialty sellers. County jails may run smaller programs (including Keefe's iCare-style gift bags) or no outside package program at all.
Vendor
Website
Typically offers
Notes
Access Securepak
accesssecurepak.com
Food, hygiene, apparel, electronics
Keefe Group; very common in state DOCs
Union Supply Direct
unionsupply.com
Food, apparel, footwear, electronics
Strong national / federal-adjacent presence
Walkenhorst's
walkenhorsts.com
Food, personal care, electronics, religious items
Select state/facility by inmate info first
Always start with the DOC page. A vendor that works for one state will not appear in another state's catalog. Confirm the current list on the official corrections website or by calling the facility before you create an account.
🛒 Access Securepak (Keefe Group)
Access Securepak🌟 Most Widely Used
🌐 Site: accesssecurepak.com
📞 Phone: 1-800-546-6283 / 636-888-7003
📧 Support: customerservice@securepak.net
Access Securepak is Keefe Group's friends-and-family package program. You select the state and agency, look up the inmate, and shop only the items that program allows. Limits on spending, weight, frequency, and inmate eligibility are enforced in the cart. Orders can usually be placed online 24/7; many programs also accept phone or mailed forms.
Go to accesssecurepak.com and select the inmate's state and agency.
Create an account and search for the inmate by name or ID.
Browse the facility-approved catalog (food, sundry, or combined, depending on the program).
Stay under the dollar / weight / package-count limits shown for that inmate.
Pay by accepted card (or money order/cashier's check where the program allows mail orders).
Save the confirmation number; allow the program's stated delivery window (often ~7–10 working days to the facility).
Example limits (program-specific): Some Securepak DOC programs cap packages around 30 pounds including packaging, set quarterly dollar caps (e.g., Virginia-style quarterly maximums), or limit the number of food vs sundry boxes per year by security level (as Ohio has published for its package program). Your cart will reflect the rules that apply to the person you selected.
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📦 Union Supply Direct
Union Supply Direct🏘 National / Multi-State
🌐 Site: unionsupply.com
📦 Focus: Food, apparel, footwear, electronics, personal care
Union Supply Group supplies commissary goods industry-wide and runs Union Supply Direct package programs for friends and families (and sometimes for offenders themselves). Programs can be statewide or institution-specific, with weekly, monthly, quarterly, or seasonal/holiday ordering windows depending on the DOC contract.
Confirm Union Supply Direct is on the facility's approved list.
Visit unionsupply.com and follow the Friends & Families / package program path for that state.
Enter the inmate's information to load the correct allowed catalog.
Order within the frequency and product rules shown, then save your confirmation.
📱 Walkenhorst's
Walkenhorst's🌟 Common in Several States
🌐 Site: walkenhorsts.com
📦 Focus: Packages tailored per facility program
Walkenhorst's partners with facilities across multiple states. Their ordering flow asks you to pick a state and enter inmate details first, then shows only items approved for that package program — including food, personal products, electronics, and religious items where allowed.
Go to walkenhorsts.com and select the inmate's state.
Enter the inmate ID / information required by the program.
Shop the filtered catalog and complete checkout.
Use the site's order-tracking tools if you need status updates.
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📋 Step-by-Step: How to Order
Locate the inmate. Confirm the current facility and ID with our inmate search or the state DOC locator. Transfers invalidate old package addresses.
Read the facility's package policy. Find the approved vendor names, quarterly/monthly caps, and any visitor-list requirements.
Create a vendor account on the correct site and select the matching state/agency program.
Search for the inmate and verify the name/ID match exactly.
Build the order from approved items only. Do not try to substitute outside products — they will not ship.
Review fees and limits (processing fees are common; some programs quote a flat fee such as ~$6.95 on certain Securepak pilots — always read the FAQ for your program).
Pay and archive the confirmation. Share the confirmation number with the inmate so they can ask property staff if the box is delayed.
Wait out the delivery window before opening a dispute. Institutional property rooms can hold packages during lockdowns.
Chargebacks freeze privileges. Multiple Securepak FAQs warn that if a cardholder disputes a charge after the inmate received an order, the inmate may be blocked from future packages until the amount is repaid. Only dispute true non-delivery cases through the vendor's process.
⚖️ Limits, Timing, and Rejections
Dollar caps
Quarterly or monthly maximums
Some DOCs allow a fixed dollar amount of product per quarter; multiple orders may merge into one delivery until the cap is hit.
Weight / size
Box and pound limits
Examples in published Securepak FAQs include ~30 lb including packaging and fixed box dimensions. Food-only weight sub-caps also appear in some states.
Security level
Fewer packages at higher custody
Ohio-style matrices reduce annual package counts as custody rises; some highest levels are not permitted packages at all.
Eligibility
Restrictions & discipline
Facilities can block package privileges for disciplinary reasons, pending investigations, or after payment disputes.
Common reasons an order fails
Wrong facility or outdated inmate ID after a transfer
Inmate not eligible for the package program right now
Order exceeds remaining dollar/weight/frequency allowance
Payment failed or was later charged back
Facility on lockdown or property room backlog
🔎
Run a full public records searchArrest records, criminal history, court filings, addresses and known relatives.
Commissary deposits — best for weekly needs the inmate chooses (soap, coffee, stamps). Fund via JPay, Access Corrections, MoneyGram, etc. See how to send money and prison commissary explained.
Care packages — best for larger approved items, seasonal food boxes, clothing, or electronics the canteen may not carry, when the facility runs a vendor program.
Can I mail a care package I packed myself to an inmate?
Usually no. Most facilities ban personal packages. Order through approved vendors only. The federal BOP requires prior written staff approval for packages from home and generally limits them to release clothing and authorized medical devices.
What is Access Securepak?
Access Securepak is Keefe Group's package program for friends and families. At accesssecurepak.com you select the state/agency, find the inmate, and order from a pre-approved catalog with automatic limit enforcement. Support: 1-800-546-6283.
Which vendors can I use to send an inmate package?
Only the vendors listed by that DOC or jail. Nationally common options are Access Securepak, Union Supply Direct, and Walkenhorst's. Specialty vendors may be added for shoes, vitamins, or holiday programs. Never assume cross-state availability.
How long does an inmate care package take to arrive?
Many programs advise allowing about 7–10 working days for the package to reach the facility after it is processed, plus institutional distribution time. Holidays, lockdowns, and transfers add delays. Keep your confirmation number.
What are typical package limits?
Expect dollar caps, weight caps (often around 30 lb in some programs), annual package counts by security level, and food vs sundry splits. The vendor site for that program shows the live remaining allowance.
Should I send a care package or put money on commissary instead?
Commissary money covers weekly choices inside the facility store. Packages shine for larger or seasonal approved items when a vendor program exists. Many families use both. See commissary explained and send money.
A care package lands best when it follows the rules: approved vendor, correct inmate ID, and respect for dollar and weight limits. Skip the homemade box, order through Securepak, Union Supply, Walkenhorst's, or whichever vendor your DOC lists, and keep funding the commissary account for everyday needs.
Written and maintained by the AllRecentArrests.us editorial team. Vendor contracts, package limits, and BOP rules change. Confirm the current approved-vendor list and program FAQs with the facility or DOC before ordering. This article is for informational purposes only. Last updated: July 2026.
