The gift of KINDness

Have you ever had a Christmas on your own away from your family? Most people travel to catch up with their loved ones over Christmas, but for some elderly people who can’t do that, or they don’t have any family to catch up with. 

Putting pen to paper sounds old fashioned in the modern, instant, digital world but the old-school art of writing a letter is delivering old fashioned love to some who really need it.

Hannah Rodgers and her son Jayden started Sending Love as an act of kindness two festive seasons ago.  

Sending Love is a simple idea: write a Christmas card to an elderly person who may be lonely at Christmas.  People are asked to take the time to put love and thought into their card or letter which is then delivered by volunteers to those who may not feel remembered or loved at this time of year. 

This simple and kind idea has caught on across the country and we are adding Morningside to the Sending Love map.   

This is the kind of spirit of the season we love – people and communities coming together with an act of kindness.  This small gesture costs the sender nothing and delivers something priceless to others. 

Sending Love is also raising awareness in communities across the country of the sad reality that loneliness exists around us all.  However, each and every one of us have the capacity to be part of changing that by simply by being kinder.

Rodgers said it was “heart-breaking” to find out that 50 per cent of the elderly in rest homes don’t receive cards or visitors at Christmas time. 

We have set up a Sending Love box on the counter at KIND

 We even have pens, paper and story ideas to get you started.  So next time you grab a coffee, pick up a pen and paper too and write something that will make all the difference so those feeling lonely at this time of year.  Think about putting a return address on your card too – making this a two-way street is another gift that costs us nothing.

Hannah still can’t believe what her simple idea has delivered, “What I have got out of it, is learning that so many people want to do something. It’s just amazing.”  You could say it’s a Christmas miracle… Be part of this amazing project: sendinglove.co.nz.

Inspiration for writing your card

Little tips about sending someone love…

• Make sure your card is filled with love.  
• Think about little stories you can share, favourite moments from this year or Christmases past are a good idea.
• Ensure it is legible (we’d love younger folks to write too but maybe include words in brackets underneath if it’s hard to read or there is creative spelling involved).
• Keep your envelope unsealed to give the Sending Love team discretion to check cards before distributing them.
• Just be you! 

Check out sendinglove.co.nz