Sparking change through mailed letters! We met with Michelle Dunton (MD) who participated in Love for our Elderly’s 12 Days of Letter campaign. During this campaign, she was able to spread love and kindness to our elderly community one letter at a time.
AC: What organization or local cause did you volunteer for?
MD: I volunteered at Letters – Love for our Elderly
AC: Can you please provide an overview of their mission?
MD: You can make an elder smile today! Everyone deserves a mailbox full of love letters, and we’re on a mission to make that happen– we’ve sent more than 250,000 letters of love around the world. We post about elders who want mail from you on the 1st of every month! 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.
AC: Was this your first time volunteering for this organization or cause? Please elaborate.
MD: Yes, this was my first time volunteering for this organization.
AC: Where there any requirements for this type of volunteerism?
MD: Yes, on their site they share the following guidelines: 1. Letters must be legible (large print), handwritten, and include no glitter. No worries if you’re not artistic– make your card as what you’d like to receive. 2. Avoid religion, if possible. Your letter should resonate with 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 letter back. We want to ensure recipients aren’t burdened by feeling obligated or unable to respond.
AC: Why did you choose to volunteer here for your Day of Giving?
MD: I chose to volunteer for this organization as I stand by their mission. I adore writing letters and receiving them. There is something special about getting a piece of real mail. Also, being disabled, I could give back to my community in a way that didn’t physically hurt me.
AC: Can you tell us about your volunteer experience? What did you do? Did your time volunteering meet your expectations?
MD: I chose to do the 12 days of Letters campaign for the month of December. I know with the cold weather and with COVID ramping back up, some of our older members of the community are getting stuck inside. I wanted to make their day a little better.
AC: What would you like to share to encourage others to volunteer their time and energy locally?
MD: Put into your community what you want to see. I want to see love and compassion.
AC: is there anything else that you would like to share about your experience?
MD: The experience made me nominate some older individuals I personally know to receive mail.