As we all know by now, a pandemic is more than capable of making our lives difficult in more ways than one ? our social, economic, and educational successes have been undeniably hindered for the past year or so. During these difficult times, we may struggle to find joy and excitement in our extremely mundane lives. However, I, along with many others, have found that giving back to the community is a great way to not only help others, but also improve your mood.
Without a doubt, COVID-19 has canceled a plethora of volunteer opportunities, and finding ways to help others has been especially challenging. Fortunately, making and writing cards is a great and easy way to give back and help others! From the comfort and safety of your home, you can easily accumulate service hours by writing and decorating cards. Everyone loves receiving heartfelt mail, which is why there are an abundance of different organizations that you can send cards to! Senior citizens, veterans, and hospitalized patients are common candidates for dedicating cards to, as they can often use some extra appreciation.
For those with soft spots for the elderly, Letters of Love (www.loveforourelders.org) is the perfect organization to support. Letters are accepted all year, but with National Letter to an Elder Day on February 26, this is the perfect time to create some loving cards for senior citizens. Volunteers at Letters of Love will sort through the mail they receive and send these cards to senior centers all over the world.
Meanwhile, those with a reverence for troops who have fought for our nation may be interested in A Million Thanks (www.amillionthanks.org), an organization dedicated to showing active and veteran military members some gratitude. As they serve our country, they often struggle when away from their families for prolonged periods of time. Writing cards for them is a wonderful way to give thanks to those who work to preserve our nation.
Finally, Smile Card (www.smilecard.org) allows you to send cards to hospitalized patients in order to brighten up their days. Smile Card was recently established in order to help those who may be struggling in isolation due to the visitor restrictions that have resulted from the pandemic, and is a great way to help those who are not only lonely, but may be battling an illness as well.
Once you have decided which organization you would like to send cards to, all you need is a couple sheets of paper and your choice of writing utensils. While a wide array of colorful pens, markers, and pencils can make for a visually stunning card, a simple pen or pencil works just as well. Then, you can decorate the card however you would like to and write a heartfelt message inside, whether it is one of gratitude or just general positivity. With a gesture as simple as writing and mailing a card, you can make a difference in someone’s life ? even while abiding by COVID-19 safety precautions.
