3 Easy Steps to Send Cards to Nursing Homes | Guest Post by Anna!

One year when I was in elementary school, my class would visit a local nursing home and write the biographies of some of the people living there. After visiting and getting to know the people, I realized something: more than anything, they enjoyed visiting and talking with us. Throughout that summer, I visited Louise, whose family lived far away, and learned a lot from her. When I moved across the country, I missed seeing her, and she missed seeing me. 

Many of the residents of nursing homes can’t visit with their family right now, to stay safe. But, what they can do, is receive mail, which is so uplifting! My sister and I made cards for the residents of a nursing home, and even though we couldn’t watch them open the envelopes and see the smiles on their faces, we know that it made their day -- or even their week!

While there are so many ways to spread joy in your community, sending cards to people in nursing homes is simple, and lots of fun! Here are 3 easy steps to get started.

Make a Card

This is probably my favorite part. One way to do this is with a piece of white cardstock and a pen. Cut it in half, and fold that paper in half. Next, take your favorite pen (I like brush pens) and write hello in a hand lettered font. Have fun with it!

If you’re the kind of person who likes to draw, you could make an illustration on the front of the card -- use colored pencils, crayon, markers, or a combination. What to draw? Try flowers, animals, patterns… 

Lastly, if you have patterned paper or stamps, make a card with that! Experiment with different ink colors, paper sizes, and card designs.

Write a Note

It can be hard to know what to write to someone you’ve never met. Don’t forget to introduce yourself, and then tell about what kinds of things you like to do, or talk about something that happened to you recently. I like to include a Bible verse with encouragement and what it means to me as well! They will absolutely love hearing from you and about you, no matter what you write. Bonus tip: send a picture of you with your card, so that you can connect on a deeper level.

Send it! 

You might already have a place to send these cards in mind, but if not, look for nursing homes in your area, and call them. Explain that you have some handmade cards for the residents, and ask if you can come over and drop them off. When I was calling places, I found that it was important to say that I just wanted to drop off the cards, I didn’t need to come in, because they weren’t accepting visitors.
Thank you so much for reading! How do you feel when you get mail? What is your favorite way to make cards? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Anna is a teenage snail mail blogger and entrepreneur. When she’s not designing greeting cards, she enjoys biking, writing, and playing with her cat, Pickles. Anna is originally from Massachusetts, and after spending a short time in California, she and her family now live in Colorado. Connect with her and get some happy mail in your inbox at join.annamadeblog.com.