Flikshop is Helping Inmates Stay Connected with Their Families During COVID-19 Crisis

Families with loved ones incarcerated are now further removed from them as prisons and correctional facilities around the country practice social distancing and have ended visitations due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In response, Flikshop, a mobile app that allows people to upload and send photos to incarcerated friends and family members in the form of a physical postcard, has partnered with prisons and detention centers to ensure people stay in touch—in two cases for free.

Flikshop is working with correctional facilities in Colorado and Santa Clara, CA, to connect people with their loved ones. The arrangement is made possible by way of Flikshop Angels, a community-led activation that allows people to purchase Flikshop Credits gifted to children with incarcerated parents.

“We want every person in every cell to receive a Flikshop postcard every day,” Marcus Bullock, founder and CEO of the company, said in a statement. “That’s our mission.”

On March 31, the Colorado Department of Corrections announced on Facebook that friends and families can now send three free postcards to incarcerated people with the support of Flikshop Angels. “[Flikshop] is a small step for families to connect with their loved ones behind the walls, but one we are happy to support,” Dean Williams, executive director for the Colorado Department of Corrections, said.

Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall has also rallied for support to keep young people connected to their families during the health crisis. And they are now Flikshop Angels.

“Flikshop is a great service for our population,” said Sean Rooney, probation manager for Santa Clara County. “Hopefully this will go well and give other counties a great example to open up the possibilities for growth.”

Since the inception of Flikshop Angels, “angels” have helped to connect over 35,000 families and paid the tuition for eight Flikshop School of Business participants.

For the latest updates on how the health crisis is impacting the black community, click here.