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

(Letters Against Isolation)

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Position ID: V-OSH0699
Last Modified: 09 Jul 2024
Last Full Update: 09 Jul 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.G.LAI@gmail.com
Duties

JOIN OUR VOLUNTEER LETTER-WRITING TEAM!

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, tens of thousands of volunteers have sent nearly one million pieces of correspondence in 30 languages!

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! 


HOW YOU CAN HELP

  • Join our team of volunteers and commit to writing letters on an ongoing basis.
  • While handcrafted cards are welcome, they are not required; your handwritten message is what matters most.
  • We encourage volunteers to limit affirmations and focus on sharing a bit about themselves to make each letter unique and special. Seniors tell us that these personal stories their favorite part of the letter!
  • Avoid sensitive topics such as religion, holidays, health and politics.
  • 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, coworkers, students or club members.
  • Partner with a public library to host a letter-writing event.


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

  • Register on our website as an individual, student, or group to receive our weekly newsletter with updates and access to our web portal. 
  • STUDENTS: Please complete the separate student registration using a personal email address. 
  • Write some friendly letters. When you're ready to mail them, log into our web portal and choose a destination facility.
  • Find us on social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook.


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 ; Men ; Women ; Newcomers / English as a second language ; Couples ; Families ; Groups ; Individuals ; Community Groups ; Workplaces / Corporate Groups
Areas of Interest Community Outreach ; Friend / Penpal ; Group / Family Volunteering ; Hospice Care ; Senior's Activity Support ; Social Interaction ; Translation / Languages / Interpretation ; Volunteer from Home / Virtual ; Writing / Editing
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. However, we are hoping to increase our ongoing volunteer base.
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 ; Uxbridge (Township of) ; Whitby 
 
100 individual(s) needed in total. 
 
We write to 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 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.
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 DDSB STUDENTS: PLEASE PROVIDE A PERSONAL, PERMANENT EMAIL ADDRESS. MOST DDSB 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

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Website www.lettersagainstisolation.com/

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