Ameelio Mail: Photos to Prison - Free photos & letters

Do you have a family member in prison in the US? Uplift their mood by sharing your life experiences with them through photos and letters.

Why you’ll appreciate it ？

• Sending photos and letters is completely free for those who need assistance—simply inform us within the app

• Save both time and money—as we will handle the printing and mailing process for you

• Our quality printing ensures that your loved one will treasure what they receive

What is Ameelio?

Ameelio is a nonprofit organization focused on making communication with incarcerated loved ones more accessible. Its services allow friends and family members to stay connected through photos, letters, video calls, and voice communication.

With Ameelio Mail, users can send photos and letters to incarcerated loved ones in the United States. Ameelio handles the printing and mailing process, helping make traditional correspondence more convenient.

Ameelio Connect provides additional communication options, including video visits and voice calls, depending on the correctional facility and its approval requirements.

What users think about Ameelio ？

“This is the most amazing blessing I could have received.” —Shari

“It has been fantastic. My loved one was thrilled to receive some extra attention from his letter.” —Telle

“It is incredibly beneficial for family members to maintain communication, especially during these challenging times.” —Trish

Our story

Ameelio was launched at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Two Yale students, Uzoma "Zo" Orchingwa and Gabe Saruhashi saw the effects that family separation and isolation had on incarcerated individuals and their families. Zo and Gabe went on to launch the first and only nonprofit provider of incarcerated persons communication services (IPCS). They envisioned Ameelio as an ecosystem of technology that enables loved ones to communicate with their incarcerated family members, and as a powerful advocate taking on the billion-dollar IPCS industry, dominated by two exploitative companies.

We are a team of technologists, advocates, designers, lawyers, and engineers who are committed to fundamentally transforming the correctional system for the better. At the core of our work is an understanding that poverty is a key driver of mass incarceration. 50% of prisoners have no earnings in the eight years leading up to their incarceration. In the year immediately preceding the imprisonment, that percentage jumps to 80%.

We are and will always strive to be one of the boldest and most innovative approaches to criminal justice reform, not only because of our ability to build powerful technology to tackle the most challenging problems in the space but also because our tools are informed by the profound understanding that sustainable decarceration is only possible if we provide the incarcerated with the vital resources and pathways that they lacked prior to incarceration (i.e. educational equity, economic mobility, societal support, and more).

Technology is rapidly transforming the world around us; we intend to use it to solve one of society’s greatest social crises — mass incarceration.

How to Sign Up for Ameelio Connect ？

To use Ameelio Connect for video visits and voice calls, users generally need to complete the facility approval process.

• Submit a visitor application to the correctional facility.
• Create an Ameelio account.
• Request a contact and upload a valid photo ID.
• Wait for the facility to approve your request.

After approval, return to Ameelio to schedule visits, receive calls, and access available communication features.

The exact communication options available may depend on the correctional facility.

Who Is Ameelio For?

Friends

Friends of incarcerated individuals can use Ameelio's mobile or web services to stay connected and send physical mail.

Families and Loved Ones

Family members and loved ones can use the mobile app to communicate with an incarcerated person through available video and voice calling features.

Ameelio Product Features

Free Photo and Letter Sending

Ameelio Mail allows users to send photos and letters to incarcerated loved ones in the United States without paying for standard photo and letter delivery.

Printing and Mailing Service

Ameelio manages the printing and mailing process, helping users send physical correspondence without handling traditional mailing themselves.

Contactless Delivery

Ameelio works with shipping and printing partners to help deliver mail from the app to correctional facilities across the country.

Enhanced Family Communication

Asynchronous messaging can help families communicate more frequently without requiring both people to be available at the same time.

Voice and Instant Communication

Incarcerated individuals can make voice calls, while loved ones may be able to respond through an instant, pre-approved message when available.

High-Quality Printing

Ameelio emphasizes high-quality printing for photos and letters, helping recipients keep physical copies as meaningful keepsakes.

Ameelio FAQ

What does Ameelio Mail do?

Ameelio Mail is a nonprofit service that lets users send photos and letters to incarcerated loved ones in the United States. Ameelio handles the printing and mailing process so messages can be delivered to correctional facilities.

Is Ameelio Mail free?

Yes. According to the provided information, sending photos and letters through Ameelio is free. The organization aims to make communication more accessible without adding a financial burden.

Can I purchase gifts for my incarcerated loved one?

Yes. Users can purchase certain gifts for their loved ones. According to the provided information, proceeds from these purchases help support Ameelio's free mail services for other users.

Who can use Ameelio Mail?

Ameelio Mail is designed for people in the United States who have an incarcerated loved one and want to maintain communication by sending photos and letters.

Does Ameelio print photos and letters?

Yes. Ameelio provides printing and mailing services, with an emphasis on producing high-quality physical photos and letters for recipients.