In a room filled with colorful markers and stacks of blank cards, BGSU students gathered with a single purpose: to bring joy and comfort to children facing serious illnesses. Through the university’s chapter of a national organization, “Letters of Love,” these students are crafting handmade cards with heartfelt messages and drawings, hoping to remind young patients in hospitals worldwide they are not alone.
According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, roughly 25% of children and adolescents in the United States are affected by chronic health conditions, with 5% of children having multiple chronic conditions. Letters of Love, founded in 2018 by Owner Grace Burbig, is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children battling serious illnesses by sending them handmade cards filled with messages of hope and encouragement.
“Grace wanted to remember her mom and find a way to help high schoolers at the time give back to their communities and help people,” said Marta Hill, head of club development at Letters of Love.
Letters of Love has been able to send out about 350,000 cards to date, providing emotional support to over 248,000 patients in children’s hospitals around the world.
Each card is crafted with the intention to bring comfort and joy, filled with drawings, inspiring words, or simple phrases like “You are loved,” and “You are a hero.”
Currently, Letters of Love has 285 active chapters across the nation, BGSU’s being one of them.
“I was just scrolling through Instagram and I saw a repost of my friend at a different school who posted her Letters of Love chapter, and I was like, oh my gosh, this looks pretty cool,” said Abriana Marchetta, president of BGSU’s Letters of Love chapter.
Marchetta did some research, and upon finding BGSU did not have an established chapter, she got to work, and by Spring 2024, BGSU’s chapter of Letters of Love was born. In terms of making connections and getting others involved, she said her personal connections and social media made it easy.
“I am a very involved person already, so I was able to reach out to my other organizations, and kind of network that way,” Marchetta said. “Our Instagram has done a lot for us too.”
At BGSU, Marchetta and her team of executives host regular general assembly meetings open to all students to participate. They also partner with other organizations and groups to host events for their members.
“We had 15 student org collaborations last semester which was our first semester, and we have had 13 this semester so far,” Marchetta said.
Students say each card represents a small, but meaningful act of kindness that can make a world of difference.
“Each card is like a little piece of our heart we’re sending out,” said Megan Sandy, a sophomore graphic design major. “I hope that, even for just a moment, these kids feel a little less alone and a lot more loved.”
Prior to BGSU’s chapter of Letters of Love last meeting held Nov. 5, they have made 1134 cards this semester alone, which surpassed their initial goal of 1,000. As a national organization, Letters of Love wants volunteering to be accessible to people all over.
“If you don’t have a local club to join, you can send cards in as an individual,” Hill said.
For Letters of Love, Hill says every card is more than just paper and ink. Every card is a message of hope, showing the difference that small acts of kindness can make.
“I love being able to bring my art skills to something so meaningful,” said Aspen Huffman, a sophomore Studio Art major. “Knowing that my creations could make a child smile, even for a moment, makes it all worthwhile.”
