Hello crafty friends! Today I am sharing tips for writing what is often referred to as Hero Mail. This can apply to a variety of heroes, but I was introduced to writing Hero Mail as a way of thanking active military personnel and veterans. I am sharing a video with these tips as well in case you prefer that format. These tips were complied based on the feedback of several organizations including Operation Gratitude, Operation We Are Here, and A Million Thanks.
This video is not sponsored or associated with any of the organizations mentioned. While I did gather ideas from the organizations to share with you and promote Hero mail, I did not work with any of them directly. Affiliate links, which support my channel at no cost to you, are included with the supplies.
Below I will write out the tips I've shared so you can bookmark this page and refer back to it as needed. Also please check out my Card Drive Resources page for more tips and places to donate your cards.
1. Thank them for their service
This one is the most obvious and if you want to stop here with your card that is fine. Feel free to make a connection if relevant. Do you or a family member have previous military/medical/etc experience?
2. Share with them about you life with these suggested topics:
Pets
Sports
Hobbies
Kids
Memories
Garden
Vacations
3. Share a joke, funny story, or comic
You likely do not know the recipient, so keep it generally relatable or classic.
4. Avoid politics completely and check with the organization about religious messages
Often a simple praying for you is ok but some organizations have clear rules and others encourage using Bible verses.
5. Check with the organization before including personal information
Some organizations welcome you to share your email or address in case the Hero would like to respond. Use your judgement when sharing any personal information.
6. Get kids involved
This is a great way to keep younger ones busy when you're crafting and they want to help. Let them draw pictures to tuck inside cards or let them make their own. You can include a message on their behalf or let them write something simple. I would limit any information about a child to their first name and possibly age. When I did this activity with my students we simply used first names and I used my own information when sending to avoid any safety issues.
7. Do no include a date, year, or strong indicator of time
It may take an organization several months to process the cards.
8. Consider including non-personal photos
You can share pictures of your garden, your pet, or landscapes that compliment your story.
9. Use the same message multiple times
Many organizations send care packages to several different groups and so if you write the same letter multiple times they can be sent to multiple recipients.
