Fuel Hope for Heroes with Handwritten Love Notes

In August 2015, my mom was given a terminal diagnosis. As her daughter (turned caregiver), it was a terribly uncertain time. I witnessed the strongest woman I know turn into a shell of who she was. After a few months of doctor visits and chemotherapy treatments, she became depressed and rarely came out of her bedroom. On Valentine's Day 2016, I had an idea to turn the fear and uncertainty around. We would handwrite Love Notes to strangers in our community and hand them out throughout our day.

What began as a means to save ourselves from our own worst fears, my mom and I found our way into the hearts and hands of our frontline heroes through handwritten Love Notes. Targeting American heroes (veterans and first responders) was her idea! We would start our day at a local coffee shop, writing words of love and gratitude for our community and spend the afternoon randomly handing them out.

It's been over eight years since we started this mission and almost seven years since I lost my mom. In that time, we've hand-delivered tens of thousands of Love Notes with the help of our followers across the nation. We've been recognized on Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CNN, Woman's World Magazine and beyond! We want to continue that mission, but we need help covering next year's costs for card stock, challenge coins, postage, and ink to fuel the hope we inspire!

My purpose was handed to me in the shape of an envelope, a simple paper container with a sealable flap that holds hope for our everyday heroes. As it turned out, a life of stationery was my destiny, not a stationary life. And it all began on the heels of a broken heart.

Thank you for your love, support, and generosity in helping us to keep going! It matters in a big way, not just to those who receive an unexpected Love Note but to those who write them. A Love Note saved my life, and I truly believe that it can save us all ... on any given day. We are not a nonprofit; everything we do comes from our own pockets. So, your generosity is much appreciated.