Would you like to bring a smile to someone’s face? We have the perfect opportunity for you! You can do it alone, with family, or with friends. It’s easy! Simply create handmade cards for the fall, winter holiday season, Valentine’s Day, and spring. Include an uplifting message to let the recipient know someone is thinking about them. No envelopes required! Your cards will bring joy to older adults experiencing isolation and loneliness across Minnesota.

Just complete the short application, and we’ll let you know when it’s time to create your next batch of cards. Additionally, we’ll invite you to our special volunteer events if you’d like to join us in-person for card making and sorting.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Question: How many cards should I make?

Answer: Make as many cards as you like! However, we encourage focusing on quality over quantity.

Question: What size should the cards be?

Answer: We will be mailing cards in 6x9 inch envelopes, so as long as the card is smaller than that it will fit.

Question: Do card creators use their own supplies?

Answer: Yes, card creators are asked to use their own supplies if creating cards remotely. For people who attend our in-person card making event, we will have supplies available.

Question: Do card creators send the cards to the Friends & Co office or directly to the recipient? Who pays postage?

Answer: Card creators are asked to send the cards to our office or drop them off in-person. We will then distribute them to our older adult members. While card creators pay for postage to get the cards to our office, we will pay for the postage when we send a batch of cards to each of our members. Donations to support all of our programs, including the cost of our Cards Connect postage and other supplies, are always welcome. You can contact Amber Carlson, our Director of Advancement, at 612-746-0739 or acarlson@friendsco.org or donate here.

Question: What guidelines do you provide to card creators for the Cards Connect program?

Answer: When card creators sign up for Cards Connect, we email them each season with details about the card theme. We make cards four times a year: fall, winter holiday season, Valentine’s Day, and spring. We ask that cards include an uplifting message and a personal signature. For the winter holiday season, we request that cards remain nondenominational, as our members celebrate a variety of different holidays.

Question: How flat do the cards need to be?

Answer: While the cards don’t need to be completely flat, we ask card creators to avoid using bulky supplies such as cotton balls and pipe cleaners because the postage increases significantly if the envelopes are puffy and don’t fit through a thin slot. Also, no glitter please because, while it’s pretty, it’s challenging for our members to clean up.

Question: Why aren’t envelopes needed?

Answer: Because we typically send multiple cards to each older adult, we use 6x9 inch envelopes and stuff those onsite at Friends & Co. This also ensures each older adult enjoys a variety of cards from different Card Creators.

Question: Can I drop off my card creations instead of mailing them to you?

Answer: Yes! We have a drop box outside of our office, Suite 260-S in the Court International Building located at 2550 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN 55114. The building is open Monday-Friday, 7am-5pm. There is lots of free parking in the main parking lot on the east side of the building. Take the SOUTH elevators to the second floor. Turn left at the bank. Our office is at the end of the hallway on the right. Please ring the bell because if anyone is in the office when you come to drop off your cards, we’d love to thank you in person! Just in case no one is there when you drop off your cards, please put them in a bag labeled with your first and last name so we’ll know who they’re from.

Other questions? Email Jethra at jkapp@friendsco.org.