Volunteer from Home: Write friendly, uplifting letters to senior citizens in aged care homes and senior programs

(Letters Against Isolation)

Add to List Suggest an Update
Position ID: V-OSH0699
Last Modified: 11 Sep 2024
Last Full Update: 11 Sep 2024

Opportunity Details: Volunteer from Home: Write friendly, uplifting letters to senior citizens in aged care homes and senior programs

Contact Lindsay, Lead Community Service Liaison, Letters Against Isolation; Email: lindsay@lettersagainstisolation.com
Duties

SEND SMILES AND SUNSHINE:

BECOME A VOLUNTEER LETTER-WRITER TODAY!

Are you passionate about spreading joy and brightening someone's day? Do you have a knack for writing heartfelt letters? Join our dedicated team of volunteers and make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors in aged care homes in the area and across Canada.  

WHAT WE DO 

We’re an all-volunteer organization that mails cheerful, personal, handwritten letters and cards to elders in care facilities and senior programs. Since April 2020, our dedicated volunteers have sent countless letters and cards in 30 languages, spreading joy and connection around the globe!

WHAT WE OFFER 

  • A chance to make a direct and positive impact on the lives of seniors.
  • Flexibility to volunteer from anywhere, anytime, year-round as an individual or with a team.
  • A special program to verify service hours for students and professionals seeking community service credits. (Separate registration is required.)
  • Tips and guidance for crafting personal and meaningful letters available on our website and social media platforms.
  • An inclusive environment where volunteers are encouraged to share their own uplifting stories and experiences without making assumptions about the recipient's background or abilities.
  • All ages and abilities are welcome! 

IMPORTANT DETAILS FOR VOLUNTEERS

  • Ideal volunteer: Writes unique, friendly, conversational letters to connect with the reader and make them feel special. We offer ideas and sample letters on our blog and social media.
  • You’ll mail your handwritten letters to one of our partner facilities. After you register with us and write some letters, log on to our user portal to choose a destination.
  • We operate on a two-week cycle; please don't sign up for letters until you have the time and supplies to mail them. Every two weeks - e.g. September 15, September 29, October 13, etc. - our mailing list resets, and new requests for letters become available for you to claim.
  • Expenses: Postage, writing materials, envelopes. You can send multiple letters in one large envelope to save on postage.
  • You won’t know the name of the reader. Address letters as “Dear Friend.”
  • This is not a pen pal program; while you may occasionally receive a response, most seniors don’t have the physical ability or resources to write back to you.
  • We have no staff, physical office, or phone. Please email volunteer Lindsay for support.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

  • Join our team of volunteers and commit to writing letters on an ongoing basis.
  • Focus your message on sharing a bit about yourself to make each letter unique and special. Seniors tell us that these personal stories are their favorite part of the letter!
  • Limit affirmations and general well wishes, as they can come across as impersonal when overused.
  • Avoid sensitive topics such as religion, holidays, health and politics.
  • Keep your message positive!
  • While handcrafted cards are welcome, they are not required; your handwritten message is what matters most. It doesn't need to be fancy.
  • Our partner facilities in Canada are requesting letters in 10 different languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian.
  • Create a group activity for your friends, employees, co-workers, classroom or club members.
  • Team up with a public library to host a letter-writing event.
  • Post our flyer on social media and community bulletin boards at libraries, cafes, bookstores, stationery and craft stores, and apartment complexes.

WHY VOLUNTEER WITH US

  • Make a direct and tangible difference in the lives of seniors who may be feeling isolated or lonely.
  • Contribute to a positive and inclusive community dedicated to spreading kindness and compassion.
  • Experience connection and satisfaction that comes from knowing your words have the power to bring joy and comfort to someone you've never met.

GET STARTED

1. Register with us on our website at https://www.lettersagainstisolation.com/ and choose the registration option that applies to you:

  • individual
  • student (for students requesting community service hour verification, including student clubs)*
  • group

2. Contact Lindsay if you have any questions.

3. THE FUN PART: Write some friendly letters!

4. When you're ready to mail them, log into our web portal and choose a destination facility.

5. Keep an eye out for our email newsletter every Sunday, and connect with us on social media: LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook 

*Students and professionals requesting official documentation for community service credit should review our Community Service Guidelines and then complete our Registration Form. You’ll work 1:1 with a member of our Student Liaison Team. You will be asked to submit photos of your work for verification. We award one hour of community service credit for every four letters written & sent that meet our guidelines.

Join us in spreading kindness and smiles to senior citizens. Your words will make all the difference!
More Info Link lettersagainstisolation.com/
Benefits Many volunteers have reported that they feel as much joy in writing as the readers feel when they receive our letters.
Clients We write to senior citizens in aged care homes, senior programs and senior centers. Volunteers mail their letters to facility staff, who review and distribute them to the seniors.
Suitable for Highschool Credit Hours Yes
Suitable For Adults (18+) ; Seniors (55+) ; Youth (12-18) ; Highschool students ; Post-secondary students ; Persons with a hearing impairment ; Persons with a mental disability ; Persons with a physical disability ; Persons with a visual impairment ; Men ; Women ; Newcomers / English as a second language ; Couples ; Families ; Groups ; Individuals ; Community Groups ; Workplaces / Corporate Groups
Areas of Interest Community / Neighbourhood Volunteering ; Community Outreach ; Event Coordination & Support ; Friend / Penpal ; Group / Family Volunteering ; Hospice Care ; Senior's Activity Support ; Social Interaction ; Translation / Languages / Interpretation ; Volunteer Coordination ; Volunteer from Home / Virtual ; Writing / Editing ; Youth Engagement
Skills/Experience Communication & Interpersonal Skills - Empathize and connect with a senior citizen to make them feel special ; Creativity - Perfect opportunity for letter writers and card crafters ; Dependability & Trustworthiness - We trust that our volunteers will refrain from sensitive subjects like religion, holidays, politics, health and mobility. ; Elder Care - We write to elders. ; Friendly & Outgoing - Each letter should be friendly and personal, like a conversation. ; General Computer Skills - Volunteers access our web portal to determine where to mail their letters. ; Positive / Cheerful Demeanor - Letters should be positive and uplifting. ; Self-Motivated / Work Independently - You’ll volunteer from home on your own time at your own pace. ; Translation & Languages - We write letters in 30 different languages, including German, Chinese and Italian. ; Writing & Editing - Use your own words to write unique and personal letters.
Commitment Length One Time / Special Event - Suitable for team volunteering, clubs and social service organizations, day of service, classrooms, small or large groups, library programming. ; Short Term ; Long Term (Minimum of 6 months) ; Medium Term (4 months to 1 year) ; Long Term ; You can write any amount of letters, and there is no commitment required. Life gets busy; if you don't have time to write, return to us when things change.
Interaction Level Solitary - We write with no expectation of receiving a response. Many of the seniors we write to do not have the physical ability or resources to respond to us. ; One-on-one - Students requesting verification of their time for community service hours will be assigned to a liaison who will work one-on-one with them throughout their service by reading each letter and providing feedback. ; Small Group - Volunteer with friends, family, school, employer, or organization. ; Large Group - We have partnered with some larger employers and organizations that offer letter-writing events to their employees and members. ; Virtual Volunteering - We are a virtual organization with no physical location.
Dates and Times Volunteer from home when it’s convenient for you. Choose your own hours and commitment.
Seasons Year Round
Accessibility Not Applicable - This is a virtual, self-directed opportunity.
Number of Positions Ajax ; Amherstview ; Ancaster ; Beaverton ; Bowmanville ; Brock ; Brooklin ; Cannington ; Chatham-Kent ; Clarington ; Courtice ; Durham Region ; Grimsby ; Maple ; Newmarket ; Oakville ; Orono ; Oshawa ; Pickering ; Port Perry ; Richmond Hill ; Scugog ; Stratford ; Uxbridge (Township of) ; Whitby ; York Region 
 
100 individual(s) needed in total. 
 
We write to more than a dozen facilities in the Toronto/Durham area and across Canada. There is no limit to the number of volunteers that can join us. More volunteers means we can reach out to write to more facilities. Tens of thousands of people across the globe have written with us since 2020.
Training We do not provide structured training, but we do offer guidelines, tips, videos and sample letters on our website and social media. Contact Lindsay for support.
Transportation N/A
Cost The only cost to you is the price of stationery, pens and postage. You can also hand-deliver your letter to a nearby facility.
Police Check Not Required
Additional Requirements PLEASE PROVIDE A PERSONAL, PERMANENT EMAIL ADDRESS. SOME STUDENT AND EMPLOYER ACCOUNTS CANNOT ACCEPT EMAILS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES. IF YOU PROVIDE A DDSB EMAIL ACCOUNT, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REACH YOU.

Agency Details: Letters Against Isolation

Other Opportunities Suggest New Opportunity
Website www.lettersagainstisolation.com/

Volunteer Durham is committed to provide a database that is accurate, current and comprehensive. However, we are unable to assume any liability resulting from errors or omissions. Inclusion or omission of a program or service is not a comment on its quality. Please contact Volunteer Durham to report concerns or to make suggestions.