Over 350 seniors set to be surprised by the love of strangers

Residents of three personal care homes will be receiving special letters on Christmas Eve.

Jocelyne Nicolas, a digital media specialist with Réseau Compassion Network, says within the past two days they have been flooded with letters for residents at care homes. She says the letters for senior residents of the three care homes they work with came fro0m a conversation about loneliness. 

"We have spiritual care practitioners who work with us who are really amazing people and we were talking about how we are all struggling a little bit," she says. "One of the points that were made to me that really struck home was that the best thing to do when we are feeling like that is to reach out; offer some kindness to somebody who needs it."

For the past week and a half, the organization has been campaigning to collect letters from strangers filled with the Christmas spirit. Nicolas says the letters are to help people know they are being thought of at Christmas.

The letters will be a complete surprise to the 360 care home residents.

"You are going to be spreading some cheer to someone who needs it but I pretty much guarantee you are going to feel pretty good about it as well."

Previously, the residents have received letters and cards from school children.

"Handmade cards are hard to beat but we want to be able to add a little more to that, to have something else for them to talk about and to read and to have to reference as we roll through the holiday season."

Hoping to collect more letters before Tuesday night, Nicolas says they made the process as easy as possible for people to send in their letters. People can pen their favourite Christmas memories, talk about their favourite childhood gifts, or anything else they wish to share with residents whose Christmases are in need of cheer.

Nicolas says the couple of minutes someone spends writing will encourage and bring joy to a resident for a long time. Letters will be printed on holiday-themed paper. Letters can be emailed to jnicolas@compassionaction.ca or filled out online.