Write letters to seniors in isolation: Sunshine Letters

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Have you ever received a letter or note that brightened your day? Did the note make your day and give you a little piece of sunshine? Well, that is what Sunshine Letters aims to do. Sunshine Letters started in Northern California in March of 2020 with the purpose of spreading joy and cheer in the lives of terminally- ill patients. Write your letter to patients today! You can write as many letters as you want. Patients have expressed sincere gratitude that "someone would take the time to write to them" and that "receiving a letter has given them hope." We have received letters from people just like you from every state in the USA and beyond. We have asked communities across the globe to join the cause. Messages of joy and sunshine have come from Pakistan and Canada, just to name a few. We hope this opportunity will encourage connections across generations, races, nationalities, and borders.

Please share what you are doing with those you know in your community and across the globe. Post what you do on social media, call up an old friend, or host a virtual letter-writing date with your relatives. If you have not written a letter, consider writing one today. Your letters will bring smiles to the faces of those that need them most.

Please note: The Sunshine Letter program is not a pen-pal exchange. Due to HIPAA laws in the United States of America, we cannot facilitate shared communication between patients and the public

Snowline Hospice
6520 Pleasant Valley Road
Diamond Springs, CA 95619
Attention: Volunteer Department

Writing your letter: General information & guidelines

Anyone can write letters. There is no application process to do this, just a few guidelines to follow as you write. We are grateful for any number of letters received.

• Focus on the positive.
• If sending multiple letters by post, please put multiple letters in one larger envelope and address to Snowline Hospice with your letters and corresponding blank envelopes inside.
• Address your letters Greetings to you,
• Close your letters with just your first name and the country from which you are writing.
• State you are writing on behalf of Snowline Hospice & the patient has the support of Snowline’s Team.
• Please write in English, as many of our patients’ primary language is English.
• No politics, religion, Covid-19, terminal illness, or over personal information.
• Do write about your home state or country- your favorite places, the sights, smells, and the things you celebrate.

Sample Letter

Greetings to you,

On behalf of Snowline, I wanted to reach out and say hello. I am writing to you from Canada! I was born and raised here and am a true Canadian. I love hockey and trekking across the vastness of this land. One of my favorite memories was visiting the big city of Montréal when I was just a boy. The tall silver and glass skyscrapers shone in the warm summer sun. I had never seen so many people in one place. I still go back to Montreal every year. We’ve been having a lot of storms lately. As I looked out my window the weather went from bright sunshine to clouds darkening the sky, to a WILD burst of wind. It was very dramatic, and I loved it. It smells so fresh now that the rain has come. My dog has loved the storms too, as he is a lazy lap dog. So, the wet weather is cause for us to stay indoors and him on my lap. I hope you know you are thought of. Remember you are part of the Snowline family and we are here for you.

Take care, first name only, from Canada