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Post by joblackford on Mar 8, 2020 1:48:07 GMT
Hoping this thread can be a centralized place to talk about cards we make to donate to organizations and card drives. Feel free to ask questions about how donating cards works, generally or for specific charities, share drives that you hear about, celebrate how many cards you've made and sent off, or anything else. I'm not the donation expert here - I have donated to a handful of organizations over the past year or so - but I wish I'd known more about card donating a few years ago when I wanted to craft but didn't know what to do with all the cards I made. So hopefully this thread will be the resource I wish I had back then. Tagging gramma who I think is our resident expert on Cards for Soldiers and gmcwife1 who had the idea to make a centralized spot for discussion. Tag anyone else who you think might be interested in joining in the fun! I know there are plenty of other donators who I can't think of right now. (sorry) |
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 8, 2020 2:06:53 GMT
joblackford you are the best!! Thank you for doing this! I can’t wait to chat and share with everyone and get ideas from each other. It will help keep us on track with deadlines too  I finally sent my first box to Cards for Soldiers yesterday. I told a friend about them so she brought over 30 cards! Now I have a partner and she wants to keep making and sending too 
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gramma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,113 
Location: Sacramento, Ca
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Post by gramma on Mar 8, 2020 2:43:05 GMT
joblackford Thank you for doing this. I've been sending to Cards for Soldiers for about a year. I really enjoy sending a little something to our military. Recently I've been focusing on cards for kids
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ditzydoodle
Junior Member
Posts: 81
Jun 2, 2019 19:02:16 GMT
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Post by ditzydoodle on Mar 8, 2020 23:47:03 GMT
This is a great thread. I would love to know more legit places to send cards to. I have sent cards to Bring Smiles to Seniors a couple of time over the past year. I just filled a medium flat rate box for them over the weekend. Their website is here for anyone interested. |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 9, 2020 1:47:25 GMT
This is a great thread. I would love to know more legit places to send cards to. I have sent cards to Bring Smiles to Seniors a couple of time over the past year. I just filled a medium flat rate box for them over the weekend. Their website is here for anyone interested. They are a great organization! I love how flexible they are - you don't have to include messages inside unless you want to, they don't even require an envelope for every card unless you want to. And they always write a personal thank you with a detailed breakdown of your donation. They've become my favorite destination. I'm working on a box for them this week. I started writing a post last night with all the groups I've dealt with but my wifi swallowed my post just as I hit submit  and I didn't have the heart to re-do it after I stopped swearing loudly. I'm going to draft it offline this time! I'll share that this week. I've donated to about half a dozen different groups with different requirements and focuses. I can also share a couple of other resources. |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 9, 2020 2:20:21 GMT
I posted this in the challenge sharing thread but I'll pop it here too. I made this upcycled card today from a commercial greeting card I found in an old journal. I cut the front panel out with a stitched rectangle die, cut a piece of almost identical pink colored cardstock to cover up the odd sentiment that was on here ("there's always something, isn't there?"), and added one of the hello die cuts and some gold hearts I had stashed away. It's going in my box for Bring Smiles to Seniors this week. I have a bunch of cards I made late last year that I never managed to get in the mail so it's going to be a box of randomness - a bunch of cards I made from Call Me Crafty Al's Sheetload designs and a Jenn Hadfield Simple Life paper pad, some Easter cards made with Easter egg cut files and ink smooshing (WIP), and whatever other random things I can find that are finished! http://instagram.com/p/B9fbp1pJ2P5 |
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ditzydoodle
Junior Member
Posts: 81
Jun 2, 2019 19:02:16 GMT
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Post by ditzydoodle on Mar 9, 2020 10:26:43 GMT
That pug is adorable!
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Post by freeatlast on Mar 9, 2020 11:16:01 GMT
Here are a few more sites for card donations: 1) Cards for Little Hearts www.cardsforlittlehearts.com/ They collect winter/holiday themed cards, heart themed (not Valentine's Day) cards and general (thinking of you) cards for congenital heart patients (up to age 21, IIRC). Check out the website for all the details. The organizer does a great job specifying what types of cards they can use. 2) Send a Smile for Kids sendasmile4kids.blogspot.com/ There are a number of people who collect cards nationwide so you might be able to find someone close to you. Their current needs are posted on the Current Needs of Volunteers page. There is also a Guidelines for Donations page that is very helpful. 3) Cards for a Cause www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/cards-cause-f215/ A different cause each month. For March, it's "You Matter Project", to help empower, inspire, and uplift individuals who have endured traumatic experiences of abuse. The type of cards needed each month are listed in the monthly forum posts. 4) Brighter Birthdays www.brighterbirthdays.org/ This organization helps under resourced children celebrate their birthdays through the delivery of bags filled with small toys and living essentials. The testimonials posted by teachers and school counselors will help you understand the impact your kid-focused birthday cards can have. Nothing on their website regarding guidelines but I try to keep my birthday cards very happy and cheery. They are providing 2,500 bags this school year. The mailing address is on the Donate page. 5) ETA: Caring Hearts Card Drive just to get it in this sticky post. A link to the 2019 blog post lingshappyplace.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-caring-hearts-card-drive.html They collect holiday cards for residents of nursing homes. Happy to answer any questions. As some of you know, my goal is to donate 1,200 cards a year. I'm a bit behind but hope to catch up shortly. |
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,501
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Mar 9, 2020 14:37:20 GMT
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Post by grammadee on Mar 9, 2020 14:57:55 GMT
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 9, 2020 15:14:22 GMT
Thank you for pinning this grammadeeWow freeatlast your card donating goal  That is awesome! Love all the new charities listed! |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 9, 2020 19:40:11 GMT
Here’s a blog post with a huge list of charities that accept cards of different kinds. I got most of my leads from this post, and Jess also has a collection of printable stuff for inside cards that require them (eg. Cards for Hospitalized Kids) and she has a YT channel. jesscrafts.com/(there’s a tab at the top for card drive resources if the link takes you to the main page) |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 9, 2020 19:43:54 GMT
freeatlast I knew I was missing someone I needed to tag! It was you!!
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clio
Full Member
Posts: 117
Dec 3, 2017 13:07:05 GMT
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Post by clio on Mar 9, 2020 21:20:08 GMT
Thank you for the list & the pin. I’ll keep these in mind because there are always more cards than I can use! Cheers
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Post by joblackford on Mar 10, 2020 17:42:03 GMT
I don't think it's been mentioned here so far but the Caring Hearts Card Drive is a big annual Christmas card drive. FAQs here: lingshappyplace.blogspot.com/p/caring-hearts-q-a.htmlNow is a good time to start thinking about mass producing a batch of holiday cards each month towards that, especially if you want to fill a medium sized priority mail box for them. This YTer has great tips for mass producing Christmas cards (or any cards) Ardyth's Christmas card playlist My best tip for getting started is to gather all your old Christmas cards and cut the front panels off and die cut them into nice new card fronts. Stick them onto a new card base, maybe add a little extra something, stamp or print a greeting for inside, and you're well on your way. Especially if have hundreds of cards from the Pea Xmas card swap! I have asked for forgiveness for cutting up other people's cards. But I (and I believe most people) really love the idea giving them a second life as beautiful cards for seniors around the country. |
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 10, 2020 21:16:51 GMT
Ohhh, thank you! You know I love mass production tips!
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Post by joblackford on Mar 14, 2020 0:42:23 GMT
I got a medium sized flat rate box out to Bring Smiles to Seniors today I had some Sheetload cards I made for them last fall/winter, some Easter cards, some random Sheetload cards I made yesterday, and a bunch of older cards I withdrew from my shop that will be better used by them - cheerful watercolor florals. A very random mixture of cards! The box wasn’t quite as full as I would’ve liked, but I didn’t want to delay any longer in getting it shipped out. I figured that seniors are probably getting fewer visits lately, with all these virus-related restrictions, so they’d be extra grateful for the cards. I even found out that they can use thank you cards, which I wasn’t certain about. Apparently they use them for their veterans to say thank you for their service, so that’s good to know. yesterday’s cards  March donation cards by jo.blackford, on Flickr |
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 14, 2020 4:10:02 GMT
I love your cards! And what great thinking about the seniors right now! I wonder if I can manage to make some for them. I seem to be stuck in a drought  I’m hoping to go grocery shopping tomorrow and then hit my craft desk. |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 14, 2020 15:16:34 GMT
gmcwife1 it ebbs and flows. I have barely made any cards lately, or at least not in quantity. I’ve been doing one of two here and there, envious of the batches you’ve been making! But that’s just where my energy has been, and you might need a little break. But maybe if you have a really inspiring paper... Have you tried the z-fold sheetload yet? It’s an interesting challenge in terms of pattern coordination, good for paper pads. I had a lot of fun with it last fall. (I think it’s from Oct or Nov) Good luck (at the store and the craft desk!)
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 14, 2020 17:30:50 GMT
I think you’re right joblackford and I think I was in an ebb. I feel better today and I think I might be able to finish my current batch of cards. I think I might also need to find papers that inspire me a little more. I think I was forcing myself to use spring papers and for some reason I wasn’t feeling them  They are good papers we’re apparently just not working well together  |
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Post by quietlycrafted on Mar 21, 2020 23:00:15 GMT
Thank you for this thread. I’ve been wanting to donate cards for a while, but keep getting bogged down by the details. Specifically, what do you write on the inside of the card? How do you address and sign the inside when you don’t know their name? I called a local assisted living place today, and will be sending a small batch in the next day or so. Hope to do a lot more in the coming weeks.
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Post by freeatlast on Mar 22, 2020 0:01:43 GMT
Thank you for this thread. I’ve been wanting to donate cards for a while, but keep getting bogged down by the details. Specifically, what do you write on the inside of the card? How do you address and sign the inside when you don’t know their name? I called a local assisted living place today, and will be sending a small batch in the next day or so. Hope to do a lot more in the coming weeks. First of all, I'm happy to see you working on your first batch of card donations. Yay, you!!!! If you are making general cheer cards, you could use inside sentiments like "wishing you a happy day" or "hope you have a wonderful day" or "hope this card gives you a smile". Something like that. Stamp it if you have the sentiment, write it if you don't. When I make cards for my local nursing home and the card is going to someone I don't know, I sign my first name and "a cardmaker from (my town's name)". I don't worry about not having their name. I may decorate the outside of the envelope but no name goes on it. Hope this helps. |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 22, 2020 0:44:42 GMT
Thank you for this thread. I’ve been wanting to donate cards for a while, but keep getting bogged down by the details. Specifically, what do you write on the inside of the card? How do you address and sign the inside when you don’t know their name? I called a local assisted living place today, and will be sending a small batch in the next day or so. Hope to do a lot more in the coming weeks. What freeatlast said, and also, if writing inside the cards isn't your thing, some of the charities like Bring Smiles to Seniors take cards that someone else will write inside later. Just something to keep in mind if it becomes a hurdle. You might also print an internal sentiment on lightweight cardstock (or just use regular printer paper) and glue that inside. If you like playing with fonts that might be fun. Just design a page in word or PSE or wherever that is divided into quarters and type up a nice thing to say, print, glue it in, and sign your name. Especially if you have doubts about handwriting or making mistakes or you just don't have time - I find writing the message inside to be very time consuming. I usually go with something like address the message to "Hi there" or "hello" just leave it without anything. I sign it with my first name, town and state. Honestly I find it hard. I can manage the cards for hospitalized kids because I just tell them I hope today is the best it can be and not to forget that they're awesome and loved just the way they are (channeling Mister Rogers) and draw a little doodle for them or write a punny joke. Kids seem very easy to please - they're very forgiving! But I find it harder to know what to say to seniors. If the card is for a specific holiday it might be a little easier - you can always find sentiments online that you can adapt. "sending smiles across the miles" is my default lately, but I prefer to write a couple of sentences. Good luck - let us know how it goes! We'd love to see/hear! |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 22, 2020 1:54:59 GMT
Anyone know of a charity that can use feminine/floral thank you cards?
Bring Smiles to Seniors said they can use thank you cards but theirs were specifically for veterans, so I gave them my less feminine cards. But I have a bunch that are very floral that need a good home. I guess I can retrofit them with new sentiments or give them to a relative otherwise.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 23, 2020 22:26:43 GMT
Yea! Today I got my personalized stamps for the back of my donation cards.
For general donation cards I just did a created by with my name. For Cards for Soldiers I did a stamp that says Thank you for your service and my name.
Today is a definite Monday at work so I needed the happy mail!
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Post by joblackford on Mar 24, 2020 0:23:14 GMT
Yea! Today I got my personalized stamps for the back of my donation cards. For general donation cards I just did a created by with my name. For Cards for Soldiers I did a stamp that says Thank you for your service and my name. Today is a definite Monday at work so I needed the happy mail! That's great! Where did you get your stamps made? Are they mounted ones? |
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Post by gmcwife1 on Mar 24, 2020 1:02:13 GMT
Yea! Today I got my personalized stamps for the back of my donation cards. For general donation cards I just did a created by with my name. For Cards for Soldiers I did a stamp that says Thank you for your service and my name. Today is a definite Monday at work so I needed the happy mail! That's great! Where did you get your stamps made? Are they mounted ones? They are clear unmounted. I ordered them through Stamps of Life and I think they were $12.88 |
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Post by joblackford on Apr 2, 2020 18:48:21 GMT
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Post by gmcwife1 on Apr 5, 2020 1:28:51 GMT
Very nice, thank you for sharing! |
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Post by ABCreations on Apr 7, 2020 8:28:06 GMT
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and I didn't have the heart to re-do it after I stopped swearing loudly. I'm going to draft it offline this time! I'll share that this week. I've donated to about half a dozen different groups with different requirements and focuses. I can also share a couple of other resources. 
I’m hoping to go grocery shopping tomorrow and then hit my craft desk. 
They are good papers we’re apparently just not working well together 
