Letters Against Isolation

Shreya and Saffron Patel, ages 18 and 16, live in Boston, Massachusetts. Their grandmother lives in England, and social isolation was not easy for her, but in recent telephone calls she sounded happier, after receiving notes in the mail from a few friends. "We wanted to share the joy she was feeling with other seniors," said Saffron, so in early April they started a project called "Letters Against Isolation."

Shreya reached out to a few local nursing homes, expecting that one might respond and ask for ten cards. Several homes agreed, hoping to receive 200 cards. "We can't do that on our own," Shreya said, so they reached out to others for help. A network of volunteers grew through the spring and so did their ability to connect with seniors. So far, the organization they formed has sent more than 14,000 cards in partnership with 24 care centers across the country. Today, about 1,400 volunteers are writing "Letters Against Isolation."