Some gifts can be wrapped in paper. Others arrive on it.
There is something deeply personal about receiving a letter.
It tells you that someone took the time to think about you. They sat down, gathered their thoughts, and shared a little piece of their life with you. Somehow, that simple act has a way of reminding us that we matter.
That’s the heart of The Pen Pal Project.
Every month, letters from our family begin making their way across the country. Some are sent to celebrate birthdays. Others arrive during seasons of grief, illness, change, or uncertainty. Many are simply sent because everyone deserves to be reminded that they matter.
Every letter carries a story.
Sometimes it’s a story about Brett.
Sometimes it’s a story about our family.
Sometimes it’s a favorite recipe we’ve enjoyed, a photograph that made me stop and smile, a poem I’ve carried with me, or one of those ordinary moments that quietly became something worth sharing.
No two letters are exactly alike because life isn’t the same from one month to the next.
By the time I tuck each letter into its envelope, my hope is always the same.
I hope someone smiles.
I hope someone feels encouraged.
I hope someone feels a little more connected.
Most of all…
I hope someone knows they matter.
Whether you’re hoping to become a Pen Pal yourself or you’re thinking about someone who would treasure receiving these letters, I’m so glad you found your way here.
I’d love to tell you how this project came to be.
From Kate
Of all the projects that make up From Brett with love, this one is closest to my heart.
For much of Brett’s childhood, I helped him communicate with the world around him. Because he had significant speech delays, there were times when I helped other people understand what Brett was trying to say. As he grew, the kind of help he needed changed. With the school’s permission, I sometimes served as his scribe for longer writing assignments. It wasn’t because Brett didn’t have ideas—he always had plenty of them. Putting those ideas onto paper was simply the hard part.
I helped him as much as he needed.
And that changed over time because Brett worked incredibly hard to gain the independence he so deserved.
By the time he was living in Buffalo, building wonderful friendships, discovering who he was becoming, and spreading his wings, he no longer needed me to be his voice.
He had found his own.
Watching him overcome and grow was one of the greatest privileges of my life.
When Brett gained his angel wings, I found myself wondering what to do with all the love I still had for my son.
It didn’t disappear.
It still needed somewhere to go.
Writing these letters became a treasured outlet for that love.
I can no longer help Brett tell his own stories.
But I can share mine.
Stories about Brett.
About our family.
About the ordinary moments that continue to shape our lives.
I hope that, through those stories, you’ll come to know Brett a little better.
But even more than that…
I hope you’ll know that someone has been thinking about you.
Because that’s really why these letters exist.
To remind people they matter.
How the Pen Pal Project Began
Sometimes ideas arrive all at once.
This one didn’t.
A year or two before I ever imagined writing monthly letters, I came across a quote that quietly stayed with me. In the introduction to Connection: How to Find the Life You’re Looking for in the Life You Have, Dr. Kristine Klussman wrote that nearly 70% of Americans report they don’t have a single person to confide in.
That statistic broke my heart.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it—or about the people it represented.
Then, sometime after Brett gained his angel wings, the words From Brett with love began running quietly through my mind.
I didn’t know what they meant.
I only knew they mattered.
One afternoon, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across an advertisement from a florist. They weren’t simply selling flowers. They were inviting people to receive beautifully written letters through the mail, each one celebrating a different flower.
I never subscribed.
But the idea stayed with me.
Not because of the flowers.
Because of the letters.
Somewhere along the way those three thoughts—the people who feel isolated and alone, the florist’s letters, and my love for Brett—found one another.
And one morning I woke up knowing what I wanted to do.
I wanted to write letters.
Not because I thought my stories were extraordinary.
But because I hoped someone would set the letter down feeling a little more connected than when they first opened it.
Once that thought found me, it found a home.
It became The Pen Pal Project.
What’s Inside the Envelope?
Every month begins with a single thought.
Sometimes I know exactly where the letter is headed.
More often…
I don’t.
I’ve found that the best letters rarely begin with the story. They begin with a single thought, an ordinary moment, or something I simply can’t stop thinking about.
By the time the letter is finished, it might include a story about Brett, something my family experienced, a favorite recipe, a photograph, a poem, a meaningful quotation, or one of those ordinary moments that quietly became something worth sharing.
No two letters are exactly alike.
And I hope they never are.
Because every month brings something new to notice, something new to learn, and something new to share.
More than anything, I hope each envelope feels like hearing from a friend.
Our Pen Pals can look forward to a monthly letter, a birthday card, and a Welcome the New Year card each year. We also enjoy tucking a little surprise into an envelope from time to time. It’s just one more way of letting someone know they were on our hearts.
Who Can Become a Pen Pal?
Anyone who enjoys thoughtful, encouraging letters is welcome to become part of our Pen Pal community.
Perhaps you’re thinking about a parent who lives alone.
A friend who is grieving.
A grandparent whose mailbox doesn’t see much personal mail anymore.
Someone facing illness.
Someone going through a difficult season.
Or maybe…
You’re thinking about yourself.
The truth is, none of us outgrow the joy of knowing someone remembered us.
Because I personally write each month’s letter and prepare every mailing, we add new Pen Pals as our time and resources allow. We never want to welcome someone into our community and later tell them we can no longer continue.
There is never a cost to become a Pen Pal.
Generous donations make every letter possible.
We also understand that sharing your name, mailing address, and birthday is an act of trust. We don’t take that lightly. Your information will only be used for The Pen Pal Project. We will never sell or share your personal information, and you’ll never receive unwanted solicitations from us.
Our hope is that every Pen Pal feels welcome, wanted, accepted, and safe from the very first letter to the last.
If you know someone who would enjoy becoming a Pen Pal, we’d love to hear from you. We add participants on a first-come, first-served basis as our budget allows, because our hope is that every person who joins our community can remain part of it for years to come.
Someone came to mind?
If you know someone who could use a little more connection, encouragement, or simply something to look forward to in their mailbox, we’d love to hear about them.
What Do We Ask in Return?
Nothing.
Some of our Pen Pals write back.
Some simply enjoy receiving the letters each month.
Both are gifts.
If someone chooses to write, I’ll always write back.
But there is never any expectation to do so.
The purpose of these letters has never been to fill mailboxes.
It’s been to help people feel connected.
How You Can Help
The Pen Pal Project is made possible entirely through the generosity of people who believe in its mission.
Your donations help provide stationery, printing, postage, birthday cards, New Year cards, and the little touches that make each envelope feel personal.
If this project speaks to your heart, I invite you to help us continue reaching more people, one letter at a time.
You can also join Notes from Brett with love, our newsletter community. There, I’ll share stories, updates about The Pen Pal Project and our other initiatives, and the ordinary moments that continue to inspire the work of From Brett with love.
Together, we can remind more people that they matter.