Letters of Hope

Our aim at Letters of Hope is to spread kindness, raise awareness of mental health and to brighten the days of those in need. It's encouraging to know that we are on the right track.

If you need help and support this Christmas please know it's available. Swipe to see the available supports ❤️

Receiving feedback from our letter recipients is the most wonderful gift. It reinforces why we do what we do. It's also a great confirmation that one small act of kindness can make a positive difference in the life of someone going through a difficult time.

Wow, as 2024 comes to a close, it's been a great time to reflect on the year that's been. This year, we reached incredible milestones together: 📬 Over 2,000 Letters of Hope were sent in 2024, bringing us to 5,000+ letters worldwide in total. 🎄 Hundreds of Christmas Cards of Hope were sent to aged care residents, Beyond Blue, Headspace, and individuals facing challenges this festive season. 🌱 We planted 200 trees—one for every 10 letters sent. 🧠 We accredited 450+ Mental Health First Aiders, with 100% of our participants recommending the course to others. 📊 83% of letter recipients felt happier, and 74% were more likely to seek mental health support after receiving their letters. 🏫 We spoke to 1,000+ students about kindness and connection as protective factors for mental health. 🏆 I was named Gold Coast Young Australian of the Year 2024 and a finalist in two 7News Young Achiever Awards. 🤝 We partnered with 20+ organisations to deliver workshops, supporting 250+ employees. 💌 30+ letter-writing events were hosted by organisations (including Westpac, Amazon & Microsoft), schools and community groups.  💰 We raised over $11,000 in donations to help sustain and grow our initiatives. 🌟We welcomed six new Board Members to guide our mission - Simon Tufrey 🚵♂️, Julie Gillespie eMBA MHFA, Katrina Reid, Sarah Liddle & Nathan Spruce. Thank you to everyone who volunteered, donated, or partnered with us. Your support makes all of this possible. We know the holidays aren’t easy for everyone. If you're struggling, support is available: 📞 Lifeline: 13 11 14 📞 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to continue spreading kindness and connection. Wishing everyone a peaceful and joyful festive season.

It's so wonderful to hear that our Christmas cards of hope are making a positive difference. This is why we do what we do. Making the lives of those who are finding it difficult, just that little bit brighter.

We truly admire the unique perspective that everyone brings to letter writing, and the ways in which they make the letters their own. These cross-stitched creations by volunteer Pirate were so incredibly special to unpack. We are so lucky to have such a thoughtful, kind, compassionate volunteer base.

Who do I thank first for the amazing success of our 2024 Christmas Campaign! We have sent out hundreds of Christmas cards, all containing words of hope, to residents in Aged Care, Beyone Blue, Headspace and countless individuals who are struggling to get through the festive season. This reach couldn't have been possible without the help of so many wonderful people. Organisations that allowed staff to take time out of their busy days to come together and make Christmas cards. Our amazing volunteers who organised and facilitated community Christmas Card making workshops and other volunteers for their incredible individual contributions. Thank you so much for helping us spread a bit of kindness and hope during what can be a really hard time for many people. Without your help none of this could be possible! Abbie xo

An important reminder that you can do hard things!

Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on why you are not feeling your normal self. You may start to worry about why you are feeling this way and whether you should seek help. If you feel different to how you usually feel or have noticed changes in behaviour, then you should have a chat to your GP. By letting a GP know that things have been a little different to what is normal for you they can help. This might include: • Feeling things have changed or aren’t quite right • Changes in the way that you carry out your day-to-day life • Not enjoying, or not wanting to be involved in things that you would normally enjoy • Changes in appetite or sleeping patterns • Being easily irritated or having problems with friends and family for no reason • Finding your performance at school, TAFE, university or work is not as good as it used to be • Being involved in risky behaviour that you would usually avoid, like taking drugs or drinking too much alcohol, or depending on these substances to feel “normal” • Feeling sad or ‘down’ or crying for no apparent reason • Having trouble concentrating or remembering things • Having negative, distressing, bizarre or unusual thoughts • Feeling unusually stressed or worried.

Um, how incredible are these printable Letter Writing Paper designs created by Letters of Hope volunteer, Claire?! Volunteers are able to download these to immediately print from our free volunteer stationery store. I can't wait to see them being used and filled with kindness!