A grandma’s love is timeless. My grandma Doris Heller Cramer, a lifelong Cleveland resident, is 102 years old and is the caring, intelligent, outspoken matriarch of our family.
Her life story is nothing short of extraordinary: from working in a tobacco shop, to teaching, and being one of the first women to go to college, where she graduated with Latin honors. But nowadays when you talk to her, it’s clear that only one thing matters to her: her family. It’s really special.
But we know that not all older adults have supportive or nearby families. Further, factors like increased reliance on the digital world for connection, declining participation in some community institutions, and increased mobility contribute to a growing loneliness epidemic. For that reason, and after seeing it first- hand as a volunteer at senior communities in Beachwood, I founded a nonprofit here in Cleveland called Love For Our Elders, to alleviate loneliness among older adults through letters of encouragement and support. Since 2013, we’ve mailed nearly half a million letters around the world. I’ve seen these letters cultivate renewed hope and purpose in recipients and a strong sense of connection for them, their loved ones, and volunteers.
Handwritten letters have power; something my grandma has always shown me. Writing a letter is a simple yet powerful gesture that I’ve witnessed transform lives, create gratitude, and spread joy. By reaching out to an older adult via snail mail, we can make their day— and it only takes a few minutes.
It’s something everyone can participate in, and everyone should. But I don’t need to tell you that letters aren’t as common as they once were. That’s why I created Grandma’s Letter Exchange, a picture book for ages 3-7 that shares a love for grandparents and the art of letter writing with young readers. It invites little ones to write their first letter, while telling a fun story and modeling how to write and address a card. At the end, children are invited to join Grandma’s Letter Exchange by writing a friendly letter. It’s a mission-driven book with the titular character based on my own grandma, and I’m proud to share it with our Cleveland community.
Let’s inspire a new generation to embrace the magic of handwritten letters. Loneliness is a challenging issue, but we can work together to fight it, one letter at a time. Grandma’s Letter Exchange is available on Amazon and BN.com. Readers can learn more about Love For Our Elders and how to volunteer as a letter-writer at www.loveforourelders.org.
