Brock University’s Sending Sunshine chapter is a great way for any student to get involved and give back to the community.
Sending Sunshine Canada is a non-profit organization headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. Started by three friends, they seek to provide a ray of happiness in the lives of the elderly living in Canadian care facilities. The service collects cards containing uplifting handwritten messages written by people in Canada and other countries and sends them to seniors.
Their cards are then delivered to various health care facilities, where they are distributed to the residents. They hope senior citizens will experience more joy and love in their everyday lives.
Sending Sunshine has chapters all over Canada and internationally. Chapters are created by students of local schools around the world and they allow people to give back to seniors in their community, and Brock University has one of its own, created by Brock students.
Their mission as a Brock University student organization, created as a chapter from the Sending Sunshine organization, is about connecting older citizens currently residing here in Canada with people from all around the world through the power of written word.
“When these individuals receive a handwritten card, it is our hope that they will experience more joy and love in their everyday lives,” said Angelica Anderson, a fourth-year kinesiology student who is also the current president of the club.
Contents in their cards are to be filled with positive affirmations, kind words and jokes as these forms of writing can give their readers, seniors in Canada, with a feeling of purpose in their lives.
Brock University students are encouraged to volunteer in writing cards.
“Our volunteers gain a sense of purpose and satisfaction knowing they are doing good things for others, especially the elderly community. Our volunteers also have the opportunity to make friends and join our card-making social hours. These events give students something relaxing and calming to look forward to as art is a form of expression and therapy, our volunteers also gain 30 minutes of volunteer service hours for each card they make through the Sending Sunshine Organization,” said Anderson.
They do have a plan to get students to volunteer.
“We will remind students that the written communication of positive affirmations, kind words, jokes, etc.—can elicit a feeling of purpose in the lives of those that receive them. This will remind them of the true effect that these handwritten cards make on elderly populations across Canada,” said Anderson.
Their policy is to always treat all kinds of people with dignity and they always aim to benefit as many members of the community as possible and capitalize on the differences that make them unique.
They will be holding a monthly social hour event where all card-making supplies will be provided to all members. They mail the cards to the Sending Sunshine organization where they collect the cards, then mail them to seniors.
“We are so excited to meet like-minded individuals that want to spread joy, love and happiness to those that need it most! See you all Soon!” said Anderson.
Bi-weekly card-making sessions take place every Friday from Sept. 16 to Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. in Mackenzie Chown complex block C, room 304. The club has plans for more monthly card making social hours.
More information can be found on their Instagram page.