Hello friends!

I have sometimes in the past written letters to people in prison, as I believe it's important to be supportive and help people if you can. Having connections to the outside helps people deal with the stresses of prison life, and makes them less likely to reoffend, according to what I've read. Most people aren't in there for something serious (different orgs trying to get pen pals for prisoners may or may not tell you why they're in jail), and people in prison for protesting or drugs or something aren't monsters! But I understand that some people are kind of afraid to do this. They feel uncomfortable sharing their address with a prisoner. And these days, the last couple people I've tried to write, both in jail for protests, none of my letters have gotten through, they're all returned to me for silly rules like, the envelope was off-white instead of white. Frustrating!

So if you think you'd like to write letters to cheer someone up but are a bit nervous about writing a prisoner, I have two other options for you!

https://loveforourelders.org/letters is a site that lists a small number of elderly folks who could use some cheer. The goal is to get several people to write over the course of the month, and then deliver them a whole bundle of letters at once.

These might be widows and widowers who are lonely and live alone, people in assisted living facilities, or people about to retire and not sure what they're going to do in retirement as they've always worked.

The end of August is the deadline for the current list of folks (there are 8, you can write one or all of them), so be sure to send soon or wait for the September list. :)

Write to a homeless shelter

The is also a homeless shelter in Oklahoma City that accepts letters that they leave on the beds for guests. You can write an encouraging note(s) and send them to:

City Care Night Shelter
532 N. Villa Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

You're not sharing your address with all the people, the shelter is distributing your notes just as a positive thing. :)

I hope this post encourages you too get your random acts of kindness on and share a note of kindness today! :)