Letter to an Elder Day 2023: Date, History, Importance

A single handwritten letter can alter a person's day, week, month, or even life. It is an effective means of communication and relationship building.

National Letter to an Elder Day is celebrated on February 26 by sending a handwritten letter of affection to an elder. National Letter to an Elder Day was created by Love For Our Elders, a non-profit organisation devoted to combating senior community loneliness through acts of kindness. This day occurs once a year to celebrate the art of letter-writing as a means of sending love.

The background of Letter to an Elder Day

A single handwritten letter can alter a person’s day, week, month, or even life. It is an effective means of communication and relationship building. Letter to an Elder Day was first observed in 2020 by volunteers of Love For Our Elders to encourage letter writing and intergenerational connections after the holiday season, which can be particularly lonely for elders.

It all started with a young boy and his grandfather. When Jacob Cramer’s grandfather passed away, he began volunteering at a local retirement community to honour his memory. He was affectionately known as “Bingo Boy” due to his entertaining and lively manner of calling the community’s bingo game (a heated affair, he is certain to inform you). During his time as a volunteer, he observed that many of the residents rarely received messages or visits from family and friends, and that loneliness was a persistent and ongoing issue.

As a result, he decided to begin writing letters of affection to senior communities, and his nickname quickly shifted from Bingo Boy to Letter Boy. His relationships with his senior community friends were marked by grace and affection, and he ultimately decided to expand his letter-writing efforts to the national level. Jacob established a non-profit that encouraged people to write letters to elders (or anyone in need who is older than them) and facilitates delivery to seniors around the world.

Since 2013, Jacob and his team have amassed a global army of over 50,000 letter writers. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they expanded to collect video messages of hope, love, and encouragement, launched public awareness campaigns, and engaged individuals, classrooms, and businesses.

National Letter to an Elder Day is celebrated on February 26 to coincide with Jacob’s grandmother Doris’s birthday.

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LETTER TO AN ELDER DAY IS IMPORTANT

A letter written by hand is potent. Receiving a handwritten letter can help a person feel connected, particularly if they are feeling lonely. This day demonstrates that a small act of kindness can make a world of difference.

We all have good intentions, but we don’t always know how to carry them out. National Letter to an Elder Day makes it simple to participate in a letter writing campaign that will have a significant impact on a person in need.

Helping others is infectious. The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it, and National Letter to an Elder Day helps jumpstart this effort, especially among young people who are most likely to develop good habits and great hearts.