A holiday that didn't exist, until it did
Every August 8th, families across the country and around the world pause to honor the people they love who are incarcerated. It's called Global Incarcerated Loved One Day, or GILO Day, and Pelipost created it.
Here's why.
Back in 2017, our team kept noticing the unique holidays that show up on the calendar every week. National Donut Day. National Best Friend Day. National Pet Day. Somewhere in the middle of it all, we realized there wasn't a single day for the millions of families showing up for someone inside.
So we made one. We called it Love Your Inmate Day, and we observed the first one on August 8th, 2017.
"We wanted to dedicate a day to come together and spread positivity and love among this community," says Natalie Calderon, our Chief Marketing Officer.
From Love Your Inmate Day to Global Incarcerated Loved One Day
In 2023, we rebranded Love Your Inmate Day to Global Incarcerated Loved One Day. The name change came down to two things we couldn't ignore.
Language matters. Person-first language puts the human before the circumstance, and our loved ones are parents, partners, kids, siblings, and friends, first and always. The name needed to reflect that.
Our community is also global. Families in the UK, Canada, Australia, and beyond have been part of this from the beginning, and the day belongs to all of them too.
The date stayed the same. The heart stayed the same. We just gave it a name that finally fit the community it was built for.
Why this day matters
If you've ever waited by the phone, saved every letter, counted the days until a visit, or planned your whole week around a single five-minute call, you already know why this day matters.
You also know how lonely it can feel.
According to Cornell University and FWD.us, 45% of Americans have had an immediate family member in jail or prison. That's nearly half of this country. And yet most families still carry the weight in silence, dodging questions, leaving out half the truth, hiding visitation days from coworkers and friends.
GILO Day exists to change that.
"This is important because there's a stigma surrounding this community," Natalie says. "Recognizing that everyone makes mistakes makes it easier to hold each other up."
Our Co-Founder and COO Becky Calderon knows that stigma firsthand. Becky spent three years incarcerated at Central California Women's Facility before coming home, getting sober, and building Pelipost with her son Joe. She's the reason this company exists, and she's the reason GILO Day was created in the first place.
"The pictures validate that you are someone, that you have a family that cares, and that you created something good. The feeling can't be matched."
That's the feeling GILO Day is built on. Multiplied across thousands of families, in one shared moment, every August 8th.
How to show up on August 8th
There's no one right way to participate. Pick whatever feels true to you and your loved one, whether that's a single quiet act or all six.
Send a photo or card
A single photo can change a hard day. Pelipost prints and mails your photos to any correctional facility in the United States. For something extra special, Greetings by Pelipost carries a full GILO Day collection of photo greeting cards, pre-designed cards, and thoughtful GILO Day letters.
Wear the message
Show your support out in the world with the Love Never Gives Up tee, the GILO Day Connection Kit, silicone bracelets, phone grips, keychains, luggage tags, lanyards, holographic stickers, and bundle deals.
Share on social media
Post a photo, tribute, or memory using #GlobalIncarceratedLovedOneDay. Tag us, and we'll reshare from August 1st through 8th. Need help getting started? The free GILO Day Social Kit has graphics, captions, and digital assets ready to go.
Submit a GILO Day video
There's power in seeing real people speak openly about loving someone who's incarcerated. If you're ready to share your story on camera, submit it through the GILO Day Video Submissions form and your voice could be part of this year's community video.
Choose dignity in everyday language
Use person-first language with family, friends, and yourself. "Incarcerated loved one." "Person who is incarcerated." "Family member." "Returning citizen." Small word changes build a culture of respect for everyone impacted by incarceration.
Start a conversation
Talk to a friend, coworker, or neighbor about the millions of families living through this. Compassionate conversations soften hard hearts, one at a time.
Love travels anywhere
That's the whole point of GILO Day. To remind every person on the inside that they're not forgotten, and to remind every family on the outside that they're not alone.
This August 8th, we'll show up together. We hope you'll be part of it.