Union Supply Direct is one of the largest approved inmate-package vendors in the country. Since 1991 it has given family and friends a way to send packages — food, clothing, footwear, transparent electronics, and health-and-beauty items — to incarcerated loved ones through state-specific program websites.
This guide explains what Union Supply Direct offers, how its state programs and ordering work, who is allowed to order, and how to reach customer service.
Find your state's Union Supply inmate-package site (e.g. the CA/GA/OH/NY program), create an account, enter the inmate's info, and order from that facility's approved catalog. Customer service is 866-402-0644 / customerservice@unionsupplydirect.com. Programs run on monthly, quarterly, seasonal, or holiday schedules — confirm the facility uses Union Supply and check its schedule before ordering.
Union Supply Direct is the family-and-friends arm of the Union Supply Group, a major supplier to the corrections industry. Since 1991 it has run inmate package programs for statewide agencies and individual facilities, letting people on the outside send approved packages that ship directly to the institution.
A defining feature is its state-specific websites — rather than one national catalog, Union Supply runs separate program sites (for example, California, Georgia, Ohio, New York, and more), each showing the approved items and rules for that jurisdiction. If your facility uses Union Supply, you'll order through the site for that state.
Approved food, snacks, and drink items for the facility.
Clothing such as thermals, sweats, socks, and undergarments.
Approved shoes and athletic footwear.
Clear-cased radios, TVs, and audio devices designed for corrections.
Hygiene and personal-care items on the approved list.
Special holiday and seasonal package programs.
The exact catalog is set by the state or facility, so items vary widely between programs.
Union Supply structures packages around program windows — monthly, quarterly, seasonal, or holiday. Some states let family and friends order; others are inmate-purchase programs where the incarcerated person places the order. Each program also sets limits on how many packages and how much can be sent per window.
For general guidance, see our guide on sending a care package to an inmate.
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Customer service | 866-402-0644 |
| customerservice@unionsupplydirect.com | |
| Union Supply Direct, Attn: Customer Service, P.O. Box 619059, Dallas, TX 75261-9059 | |
| Ordering | State-specific program websites |
Union Supply's biggest difference from a simple online store is that it works in program windows rather than on-demand. Many state programs open ordering for a defined period — a monthly, quarterly, seasonal, or holiday window — and packages are processed and delivered on that schedule. If you miss a window, you may have to wait until the next one opens, so the single most useful habit is to learn your state program's calendar and order early within the window rather than on the last day, when volume is highest and mistakes are easiest to make.
Delivery isn't instant, either. Once you order, Union Supply assembles and ships the package to the facility, which then distributes it according to its own process. Building in lead time matters especially for holidays, when programs and shipping are busiest. Because Union Supply also runs both family-and-friends and inmate-purchase programs depending on the state, confirm who is allowed to place the order for that facility before you start — ordering under the wrong program is a common reason an order is rejected.
To keep an order from being turned away, match everything to the specific inmate: the correct state program site, the current program window, the approved catalog, the spending and quantity limits, and the inmate's ID plus any required housing or privilege-group details. Keep your confirmation, and if there's a problem, contact customer service at 866-402-0644 or customerservice@unionsupplydirect.com with the order number. And as with any vendor, verify your loved one hasn't been transferred, since a package sent under the old facility's program can't simply follow them.
Whichever vendor a facility uses, the first step is always the same: confirm where the person is being held and which company that facility is contracted with. Our free tools help you do exactly that, then point you to the right official account, deposit method, and support line.
