A letter from you can be the best part of someone’s week.
The Connections Project pairs caring penpals with seniors facing social isolation. Your way to give back to your community.
Three steps to your first letter.
No experience needed. No commitment beyond a little kindness and a stamp now and then.
Tell us about yourself
Fill out a short form below. We’ll reach out to you with details for our onboarding process.
Write your first letter
We’ll match you up and send you a name, a few optional prompts, and a mailing address. Say hello; that’s all your first letter needs to be.
Keep the connection going
Trade letters at your own pace. Most pairs write once or twice a month, but a commitment is mandatory.
Loneliness isn’t rare. For millions of older adults, a quiet house and an empty mailbox are simply the everyday.
adults over 65 are considered socially isolated. The health risks of social isolation are on par with smoking.
Source: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (2020), via the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A small student-led nonprofit that believes that every voice is worth hearing.
The Connections Project started as a small, student-led club founded at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco by students who have seen firsthand the effects of social isolation. What started as a small letter-writing club has now expanded to a regional penpal program inviting writers of all ages to form lifelong bonds with seniors who are often unheard.
We believe that connection goes both ways; as a penpal, you’re not just helping someone; you’re making a valuable new friendship, and one less stranger.
Send or receive a letter.
Whether you’d like to write to a senior, or you’re a senior who’d love to receive letters, start right here. We’ll review your details and follow up.
- Free to join, always.
- We never share your home address with your penpal until you’re ready.
- Write at your own pace; there’s no quota.