Write a letter. Make a friend.

In Honor of Older Americas Month, I’m on a mission to pay tribute to and bring recognition of the contribution that our Seniors have given to our Country. As such, I thought reaching out to communicate this gratitude and the sharing of our own stories might be a way to bring some sunshine and happiness into the life of a Senior.

As a follow up to our Valentine Art for Seniors Project we are kicking off PenPal Month this May and would love to invite you and your family, friends and neighbors to participate.

Interested in being a penpal with a senior? Whether you're a child, an entire classroom, a grandmother, or anywhere in between...if you're ready to write, you're in the right place.

Here's How it Works: Simply click the button below and fill out the information form. We will match volunteers and seniors on a first-come, first-serve basis and follow up with next steps. We encourage PenPals to write a minimum of 2 letters, but you are welcome to keep the correspondence going as long as you’d like.

Helping seniors find penpals. Helping penpals find seniors.

In 1963, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthday. About a third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few programs to meet their needs. A meeting between President John F. Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens led to designating May as “Senior Citizens Month,” the prelude to “Older Americans Month.”

Historically, Older Americans Month has been a time to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons to our country, in particular those who defended our country. Every President since Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking that the entire nation pay tribute in some way to older persons in their communities. 

Seniors play vital, positive roles in our communities – as family members, friends, mentors, volunteers, civic leaders, members of the workforce, and more. Just as every person is unique, so too is how they age and how they choose to do it – and there is no “right” way. That’s why the theme for Older Americans Month 2022 is Age My Way.