Salem Letter Campaign Aims To Comfort Seniors This Holiday Season

SALEM, MA — Salem residents can do their part to remind isolated seniors someone is thinking about them during the holidays this year.

While life may be tougher than usual in 2020 with mobility and social interaction limited during the coronavirus health crisis, the Salem Public Library, Salem Housing Authority, Essex County Community Foundation, Salem Five Bank and the Root culinary training program are coming to help make seniors feel a little better about things through the "Garnish For Good" food and letter-writing campaign.

Root's youth culinary training program will prepare and deliver meals for Salem Housing Authority residents throughout the winter with the public asked to contribute notes that personalize the meals,

These notes can include well wishes, artwork and other means of creativity. Notes for the Christmas season will be collected through Dec. 11 and included with meals to be distributed starting Dec. 18.

"Kudos to Root for delivering meals to older adults in Salem," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said on her social media account. "In addition to a meal, we’re also hopping to serve some good, old fashioned cheer by way of a note from you. Garnish for Good aims to spread kindness by sharing notes with Salem seniors."

Notes can be dropped off at Shetland Park on Congress Street. There is also an electronic option for submissions here.

Hand-written notes should include large print or typed in large fonts and should avoid religion and political themes. They should not include the month, day and year.

Those contributing notes should not worry about not being so artistic — it's the thought that counts.

"Embrace creativity," organizers request. "Recipients love it when the letters are personal. We encourage you to make your letters colorful and fun — photos, crosswords, poems, and drawings are great.”

This is a one-way letter-writing campaign and those submitting letters should not expect a letter in return.

Those submitting letters are encouraged to share them on social media with the hashtag #feedingcommunity and #garnishforgood.