Volunteers will create physical cheerful penpal letters to brighten the day of hospitalized children, seniors, and students. These letters will be distributed to hospitals, senior centers, and youth programs to help brighten someone’s day and reduce feelings of isolation. Each letter is 1 SSL hour.
Please include a separate cover letter including your name, PERSONAL email address, school name, and number of cards submitted.
Artwork Guidelines:
IMPORTANT: Please use a NORMAL, FULL-SIZE SHEET OF PAPER (approximately 8.5 × 11 inches). DO NOT use small pieces of paper, index cards, sticky notes, or mini/pre-cut cards.
Artwork can be created using colored pencils, markers, watercolor, crayons, etc. All drawings must be fully colored.
Physical artworks should be created on one full-size sheet of regular letter paper, cardstock, or watercolor paper (cardstock or watercolor paper preferred).
FOLD THE FULL-SIZE SHEET OF PAPER IN HALF TO CREATE YOUR CARD.
After folding the paper in half, draw on ONE SIDE of the OUTSIDE of the card. The inside will be used for your handwritten letter.
You can draw anything appropriate and encouraging. Please avoid violent and scary themes. Some good drawing ideas include nature landscapes, animals, flowers, sunsets, etc.
Letter Guidelines:
Write a handwritten letter of 6–10 sentences about something you did recently, a hobby you enjoy, a favorite place or season, something that made you smile, etc.
IMPORTANT: When you open your folded card, there will be TWO INSIDE SIDES. Your handwritten letter MUST use and fill BOTH INSIDE SIDES of the card. Please do not write the entire letter on only one side.
Please DO NOT mention illness, politics, hospitals, or write phrases like “get well soon.” Instead, focus on sharing something cheerful about your life.
Each completed card counts as 1 SSL hour. Please start with a friendly greeting such as “Hi there!” or “Hello!” Please only include your first name at the end of the letter (Ex. Love, Alex). Letters should be handwritten so they feel more personal and genuine to the recipient.
Please do not include any personal information such as your full name, email address, or home address in your notes. Also, please do not include any real-life pictures or images of yourself.
Examples: 
Submission Quality:
Submissions must meet basic quality standards. SSL hours will not be awarded if cards are made using small/incorrectly sized paper, are not fully colored, do not have writing on BOTH inside sides, include AI-generated artwork, appear very low effort (quick scribbles, unfinished drawings), contain inappropriate or negative content, or contain unoriginal/copied content (including templates).
Please create artwork that you would feel proud to give to a friend or display on your wall. Our goal is to share high-quality, cheerful artwork and messages that can truly brighten someone’s day.
SSL hours for submissions received before 8/30/2026 will be reviewed and sent out/before on 9/1/2026.
SSL hours for submissions received on or after 9/1/2026 will be reviewed and sent out in January 2027 at the latest.
Please contact us if you have not received your SSL hours after this date!
Please send submissions (drop off or by mail) to 10 Case Street, 20878 Gaithersburg MD.
Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the student’s parent/guardian. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety and privacy at any time the student is interacting with the nonprofit and its clients. The nonprofit organization will determine the number of SSL hours awarded based on the evidence submitted. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns. This service activity is designed to be completed within the safety of the student’s home.
