Write a letter to brighten an elder’s day

Everyone deserves a mailbox full of love letters, and we’re on a mission to make that happen– we’ve sent more than 1 million letters of love around the world. So take a few minutes, sit down, and write a letter. Tell them about yourself, maybe share a joke or a riddle and let them know that they are loved.

How to write a letter

It might feel difficult at first to be writing to someone you don’t know. Our advice: just pretend like it’s a conversation! What kinds of things would you want to talk about with a stranger?

Our Guidelines:

1. Letters must be legible, handwritten, and contain no glitter. Use large print to be sure your message can be read. No worries if you’re not artistic– make your card as what you’d like to receive.

2. Avoid religion and controversial topics. Your letter should be meaningful to anyone.

3. Embrace creativity! Recipients love it when the letters are personal. We encourage you to make your letters colorful and fun– photos, crosswords, and drawings are great!

4. Be kind & thoughtful. You can include a return address, but please do not expect a reply. We want to ensure recipients don’t feel burdened by the need to reply.

Fulfill July letter requests

Read this month’s bios and choose which of our elder(s) you’d like to write. All letters must be stamped and mailed with love by July 31, 2026. New elders are shared on the 1st of every month!

Pro tip: These addresses will be taken down at the end of the month, so address your envelope before you start your letter.

Let’s celebrate summer: We’re sharing 6 letter-writing prompts to help your letters shine, designed by our intern Amber.

Charlotte

A note from Charlotte’s granddaughter: Charlotte lives in North Carolina and is currently recovering from her second shoulder surgery in the past year! She has 2 daughters who live near her, as well as one son. She lost her husband a couple of years ago and her dog this year. Recently, she has been feeling lonely as she is unable to get out and do things like she used to, and she lives alone. It is her goal to find a new furry friend. Charlotte enjoys watching TV, reading, shopping, and spending time with her family. It would truly mean so much to her to be able to read letters from people all over the world!

Please send all letters to:

Charlotte’s Bundle

c/o Julia W.

5610 Picnic Rock Ln

Raleigh, NC, 27613

Willie

A note from Willie’s granddaughter: Willie loves the New York Giants and the New York Yankees! He enjoys sitting on his porch and watching the birds eat seeds from his bird feeder. During the day he enjoys going to get lunch. Some of his favorite restaurants are Waffle House, Five Guys and a good slice of New York Pizza. He loves New York City but he is also a southern boy at heart and loves the University of Kentucky basketball! He would love to receive letters of love and hear some positive words!

Please send all letters to:

Willie’s Bundle

c/o Cynthia F. 

28 Timber Ridge Dr

Hauppauge, NY 11788

Sallie

A note from Sallie’s granddaughter: Sallie was born in Osakis, MN, and is currently living in Waite Park, MN where she raised three children and four grandchildren with her late spouse, Leslie. Sallie is a hardworking and kind woman who loves to make others laugh. Sallie currently runs the Waite Park Senior Center, where she hosts card games, bingo, and provides coffee and snacks to seniors in the Waite Park community. Her sense of humor and positivity is infectious. She enjoys socializing with friends on the phone, working on puzzles, and playing with our cats in her free time. July is her birthday month and she would deeply appreciate letters to lift her spirits and recognize her commitment to life and providing for others. She would also appreciate learning new jokes to share with the seniors at the Senior Center!

Please send all letters to:

Sallie’s Bundle

c/o Kailee Y. 

243 8th Avenue N

Waite Park, MN 56387

Eugene

A note from Eugene’s daughter: Eugene “Gene” lost his wife a little over 18 months ago. They were married for 56 years, and she was his whole world. Since then he has been struggling to keep motivated and engaged. He spends most days at home with his two dogs, Jenny and Abby, watching old movies and game shows. He doesn’t get around very well anymore, but he likes to play cards with his friends a couple times a week to get him out of the house. Getting the mail every day is something that he looks forward to. It’s an activity and something that he didn’t think much about until he was alone and had to manage things. He reads through everything and enjoys all types of mailings. Gene would benefit from reading and enjoying kind thoughts from folks.

Please send all letters to:

Eugene’s Bundle

c/o Kelly C.

31 Hillcrest Dr

West Sand Lake, NY 12196

Steven

A note from Steven’s friend: Steven is 81 years old and lives in Cumberland, MD. He was born and raised in Berkeley, CA and, as a young adult, he immersed himself in the San Francisco music scene. Steven learned the Transcendental Meditation technique (TM) in his early 20s and, because of the personal benefits he experienced, was inspired to become a TM teacher in 1972. Since 1982, he has been a member of the Maharishi Purusha Program, a group of single men devoted to the creation of a lasting world peace through the Maharishi Effect - an environmental influence of harmony created by large groups of meditators. In this capacity, Steven spent time in India, the Philippines, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Mozambique. A few years ago, he had to leave the Purusha group because of health concerns and he now lives in an assisted living facility. I'm sure Steven would love to hear from people from all walks of life who appreciate his life-long dedication to achieving world peace.

Please send all letters to:

Steven’s Bundle

c/o Douglas M.

1000 Purusha Pl #234

Romney, WV 26757

Cindy

A note from Cindy’s daughter: Cindy is a very hard working woman who is a caregiver to my grandma. She doesn’t have time or money to spend for herself. She loves helping people and getting a pedicure. She loves clothes when she can afford them. She is genuinely the best woman ever that deserves support and love through letters of love!

Please send all letters to:

Cindy’s Bundle

c/o Elizabeth B.

102 Rio Dr

Gatesville, TX 76528

Sylvia

A note from Sylvia’s granddaughter-in-law: Sylvia just turned 99 years old in April and lives in Massachusetts. She has family close by, but her grandson, who lived with her for 40 years, passed away unexpectedly and she has taken the loss hard. The one year anniversary of her grandson's passing along with the 30th anniversary of her husband's passing are coming up in August and I know she will need some kind words to get her through. She is a devout Catholic, and she loves her cat Lily, sweets, the Red Sox, and the Patriots. She would love to receive letters other than bills to cheer her up!

Please send all letters to:

Sylvia’s Bundle

c/o Angela L.

145 Highland St.

Milford, MA 01757

Karen B

A note from Karen B’s daughter: Karen is 81 years young, and shows up for others in kind and thoughtful ways. It's now her turn to see that others care. A bilateral breast cancer survivor, she has persevered through surgery and radiation, only to be diagnosed with Afib, which affects her energy levels and causes shortness of breath. In November, she fell and broke her neck and she is still healing. She's a mom of three and a Bengal cat mom, and since my father passed 16 years ago she has occupied her time with painting, making gifts for others, participating in her church's literary club and friendship group, listening to audio books and doing online puzzles. She is an avid TV watcher- Netflix, Britbox, and SVU are some of her favorites.  Originally from Oregon, she has lived in Ohio, Texas, Florida, and now resides in Maryland. Karen could use some letters of encouragement when the tough days limit her mobility. She would love to hear about your favorite TV shows, your travels, pets, families and pastimes.

Please send all letters to:

Karen B’s Bundle

c/o Taryn F.

329 Lindera Ct

Glen Burnie, MD 21061

Pam

A note from Pam’s friend: Pam has been facing major health challenges in the past few years. She lives with her dog, Bertie, and her cat, Binkie, and finds joy in her flowers and her animals. She is an amazing gardener, and is always thinking of those less fortunate than her. I am privileged to know her and know that she is lonely and worries for her future. In her past life she worked on a fishing boat, as a paramedic, and she loved ballroom dancing. She has always looked for ways to help anyone in need. She is an activist at heart, and loves to be outside in nature. These things have all been limited or ended due to her current health challenges, and this is very difficult for her. She would love to hear messages of encouragement and love from anyone who desires to buoy her up.

Please send all letters to:

Pam’s Bundle

c/o Kristine F.

563 Granite Pl

Springfield, OR 97477

Freda

A note from Freda’s granddaughter: Freda turns 103 on July 1st and would love some birthday wishes! Until March 2026, Freda lived alone at her home in Massachusetts. After having a fall, she now lives at an assisted living facility but is still as bright and as charismatic as ever! She was born in Europe and lived in Russia, Hungary and Germany. She can still speak some Russian, German, Polish and Hungarian. She lived through World War II and married an American soldier, which is what brought her to America. Freda loves cooking, especially meatballs, steak, lamb chops and deviled eggs. She also loves fashion and jewelry, always taking the opportunity to dress up or put lipstick on so that she "looks like a lady." Freda has been an incredible source of love, happiness and constant good in her family's lives and these cards will go a long way towards making 103 her best year yet!

Please send all letters to:

Freda’s Bundle

c/o Courtney Y. 

17 Avery St 

Dedham, Ma 02026

Donna 

A note from Donna’s granddaughter: Donna is celebrating her birthday in July! She is a huge lover of the arts and used to be an art teacher and still paints and crafts when she can. In recent years Donna has trouble leaving the home, and none of her friends live close by. Unfortunately her husband has just passed away, so while she will be celebrating her birthday, she will also be grieving. She could use some uplifting notes this month to remind her she is loved.

Please send all letters to:

Donna’s Bundle

c/o Juliana L.

3011 Sagebrush Bend

Monroe, NC 28110

Jeffrey

A note from Jeffrey’s niece: Jeffrey is from Statesville, North Carolina, where he still lives today. He is quite the character having a wealth of knowledge about the Bible, United States Presidents, and past Super Bowls. Variety snack bags and Coca-Cola are the highlights of Jeffrey's day. He likes to talk to the employees and residents at the facility where he stays. He also loves watching television and visits from his family. Jeffrey absolutely loves receiving postcards and letters. He proudly tapes them on his bedroom wall to show them off to all. Jeffrey gets nervous traveling and being around a lot of people. Receiving letters would show him the good in humanity while allowing him to explore parts of the world he may never get to see. Jeffrey is deserving of so much love, and this would be the best opportunity for him to see that.

Please send all letters to:

Jeffrey’s Bundle

c/o Haley R. 

1297 Hill River Rd

Hiddenite, NC 28636

Tom and Marlene

A note from their granddaughter: Tom and Marlene recently relocated to be closer to family and receive some extra support, and they are now settling into a new home. This October, they will celebrate an incredible 60 years of marriage. Tom is a retired college math professor who has carried a love for learning throughout his life. Marlene spent most of her life raising their two daughters and helping guide three granddaughters as they grew up. Together, they enjoy watching football, especially the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Minnesota Vikings as they both grew up there, and rarely miss an evening of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. As they begin this new chapter, they would be delighted to receive letters filled with kindness, interesting stories, or simply a glimpse into your life. Your words will be read and enjoyed together and will mean so much to them. Please write largely as Tom has had some issues with his vision recently.

Please send all letters to:

Tom and Marlene’s Bundle

c/o Jodi M. 

331 Hilltop Dr

Paso Robles, CA 93446

*You can address them together or separately (1 or 2 cards total)

Gen

A note from Gen’s daughter: Gen is 75 years old and has some health issues. She has a hard time walking these days because she has COPD. She crochets, watches TV and looks forward to getting the mail. I know she would really enjoy getting letters from around the country to brighten her day and give her a little something to look forward to!

Please send all letters to:

Gen’s Bundle

c/o Melissa N.

4750 N 28th St #10

Phoenix, AZ 85016

Karen G.

A note from Karen G’s daughter: Karen is 78 years old and is an amazing musician and former music director at our church. She plays organ, piano, handbells and can play music by ear. Karen moved from her longtime home in Montgomery, Alabama to Grove City, Ohio in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit so she would be closer to family. She lives in her own home by herself, about 5 minutes from her son. Due to moving at the beginning of a pandemic, meeting new friends was hard. Since then, her dementia has increased to a point where she no longer feels comfortable leaving her house, even with family. So she is quite isolated with limited interactions with other people. She was a frequent letter writer in the past and she would really enjoy getting a letter of love from you!

Please send all letters to:

Karen G’s Bundle

c/o Holly M.

3260 Quitman St

Denver, CO 80212

Caesar

A note from Caesar’s daughter-in-law: Caesar is a delightfully sharp Italian, born Californian, who moved to Kentucky over 25 years ago to help support his sister after retirement from the Red Cross. He met his wife in her second chapter of life, and they had a truly special partnership for over 15 years. Sadly, she passed away three years ago from dementia and has left a big hole in his heart. Caesar has been happily living with family in Tennessee ever since and is adapting to life in the country. He is a former Navy man, loves crossword puzzles, WWII history books, and can play a mean tune on the fiddle, when his hand dexterity allows it. He would love to hear from you and receive letters of love as he reaches his momentous 95th birthday in August!

Please send all letters to:

Caesar’s Bundle

c/o Karen W.

1633 Rockspring Pl

Walnut Creek, CA 94596