Let one of our Meals on Wheels homebound clients know that their community cares about them. Every year since 1970, our volunteers have made and distributed handmade cards! These cards can help lift spirits as many seniors are isolated and alone. Four times a year we pack a card into the meals that are delivered by our drivers. We also provide a card and special treat for each of our clients’ birthdays! You can have fun tapping into your artistic side, plus you’ll feel good knowing that you’re making a difference in the lives of so many seniors in our community!

We only accept cards for Valentine’s Day, Winter holidays (including Thanksgiving), and Thinking of You.

Please read and follow all the guidelines to ensure your cards can be used and be sure to fill out the info sheet found below. This info sheet is incredibly important, and allows us to track all the hours our volunteers contribute to this program. These hours are used to help MOWSF receive funding, which is what allows us to continue to provide nutritious meals and support services for thousands of seniors.

All the cards you make and the information sheet can be packaged in the same box/envelope and sent to Meals on Wheels San Francisco, or you can contact us to arrange a drop-off at our office.

Mail Cards to:

Card Guidelines

DO

• Make your card small enough to fit into our delivery bags. They should be no larger than 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ (the size of an 8″ x 10″ sheet of paper folded into quarters).
• Make your writing large and avoid cursive. A lot of our seniors have vision problems.
• Use simple, kind, sincere and joyful message and images. Example messages can be found on the guidelines sheet linked above.
• Fill out the information sheet. This sheet is incredibly important to MOWSF and allows us to accurately track our volunteers and the hours they donate to us.
• Fill out the inside of the card. We can not use blank cards.

DON’T

• Sign the cards, not even with your school or company name. It is confusing for our clients.
• Use irony, slang, puns or jokey cards.
• Use any language or symbols that pertain to any religion. This includes Christmas Trees. Our clients come from a broad range of cultures and many different religious beliefs.
• Use glitter, pompoms, or other types of decoration that can come off in the bags of food.
• Send envelopes for the cards.
• Use phrases like: “This too shall pass”, “It will get better”, or “Smile.” Example messages can be found in the guidelines sheet linked above.

What a sweet and creative surprise from Hoover Elementary School in Burlingame. Thank you, students, our seniors will love receiving these!