Making General Cards
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General cards are cards that have a general, uplifting theme and message, rather a holiday or seasonal one. These are the cards that CFHK distributes to Children's Hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses (RMH) each month.
While receiving a card may seem simple, it is truly impactful for hospitalized kids and their families. Photos and stories of card-receiving patients can be found here as well as on our social media platforms. The guidelines for making general cards can be found below. These were established in conjunction with Certified Child Life Specialists at several of our partner hospitals. |
1. Gather up some supplies!
You can make a card with simply crayons and paper, or you can gather a bunch of supplies. It is entirely up to you.
You are welcome to use craft supplies, such as: stickers, stamps, etc., so long as the products are not excessive to the point of falling/rubbing off the card (this can create health concerns for some kids). This is especially important to keep in mind when using glitter. Every week, we receive cards with excessive amounts of glitter and are unable to distribute them.
Rubbing your finger across the glitter, stamp ink etc., to ensure that little to nothing rubs off, is typically a sufficient way to tell whether the product is excessive.
2. Addressing the card:
Since we do not yet know the child's name, please do not address the card to a specific person.
If you want to address the card, here are some suggestions:
3. Writing on the front/inside of the card:
We recommend writing uplifting messages on the front and inside of the card. At the request of our card-receiving hospitals, we ask you not to write "Get well", "Feel Better" or other illness-related comments. We prefer to focus on the child as a whole, rather than their illness. Further, some of the kids who receive our cards may suffer from chronic, life-threatening and/or terminal conditions. Some of them may also be facing uncertainty regarding their treatment and diagnosis. This is why it is important to write uplifting messages rather than "Get Well" or other illness focused comments.
We recommend the following uplifting messages:
These messages focus on the child as a whole, rather than their illness, which is important, according to Child Life Specialists. You can also come up with your own uplifting comments. If you want the CFHK team to review your comments, feel free to contact us. People often choose to include characters or themes (minions, Disney characters, animals, sports, etc), on the front or inside of the cards. These types of cards are extremely popular with kids, and always a great option!
4. Make sure that you do not…
- Include any personal information, such as: phone number, address, personal social media handles, email address etc. Hospitals will not allow us to distribute cards with this information.
- Write any religious comments such as "God Bless" or "I'm praying for you". Hospitals do not allow us to distribute cards with these comments. Hospitals treat patients of all religions as well as patients that do not practice religion.
5. Sign your name:
Now, sign your first name on the card. Please do not include your last name.
If you wish to, you can also include your state or organization, such as: "Katie from Nebraska", or "Katie from Key Club at Penn State University", "Allie from Girl Scout Troop # 777" or "Ann Marie from Target in New York".
6. Lastly, mail out the cards:
Cards for Hospitalized Kids
7290 W. Devon Ave.
Chicago, IL 60631
Please include a return address so that we can send a thank-you letter after your cards have been distributed.
You can make a card with simply crayons and paper, or you can gather a bunch of supplies. It is entirely up to you.
You are welcome to use craft supplies, such as: stickers, stamps, etc., so long as the products are not excessive to the point of falling/rubbing off the card (this can create health concerns for some kids). This is especially important to keep in mind when using glitter. Every week, we receive cards with excessive amounts of glitter and are unable to distribute them.
Rubbing your finger across the glitter, stamp ink etc., to ensure that little to nothing rubs off, is typically a sufficient way to tell whether the product is excessive.
2. Addressing the card:
Since we do not yet know the child's name, please do not address the card to a specific person.
If you want to address the card, here are some suggestions:
- "Hey there"
- "Hey you!"
- "To: a very special person"
3. Writing on the front/inside of the card:
We recommend writing uplifting messages on the front and inside of the card. At the request of our card-receiving hospitals, we ask you not to write "Get well", "Feel Better" or other illness-related comments. We prefer to focus on the child as a whole, rather than their illness. Further, some of the kids who receive our cards may suffer from chronic, life-threatening and/or terminal conditions. Some of them may also be facing uncertainty regarding their treatment and diagnosis. This is why it is important to write uplifting messages rather than "Get Well" or other illness focused comments.
We recommend the following uplifting messages:
- Stay Strong
- You Are Awesome
- Never forget how amazing YOU are
- You Rock
- I hope you have a great day today
- You shine brighter than the sun
- You Inspire Me
- Be Brave
- I believe in YOU
These messages focus on the child as a whole, rather than their illness, which is important, according to Child Life Specialists. You can also come up with your own uplifting comments. If you want the CFHK team to review your comments, feel free to contact us. People often choose to include characters or themes (minions, Disney characters, animals, sports, etc), on the front or inside of the cards. These types of cards are extremely popular with kids, and always a great option!
4. Make sure that you do not…
- Include any personal information, such as: phone number, address, personal social media handles, email address etc. Hospitals will not allow us to distribute cards with this information.
- Write any religious comments such as "God Bless" or "I'm praying for you". Hospitals do not allow us to distribute cards with these comments. Hospitals treat patients of all religions as well as patients that do not practice religion.
5. Sign your name:
Now, sign your first name on the card. Please do not include your last name.
If you wish to, you can also include your state or organization, such as: "Katie from Nebraska", or "Katie from Key Club at Penn State University", "Allie from Girl Scout Troop # 777" or "Ann Marie from Target in New York".
6. Lastly, mail out the cards:
Cards for Hospitalized Kids
7290 W. Devon Ave.
Chicago, IL 60631
Please include a return address so that we can send a thank-you letter after your cards have been distributed.
Please consider sharing a photo of your card-making on Social Media + tag CFHK. While it may seem simple, this engagement is also impactful because social media is the #1 way people learn of CFHK prior to getting involved.
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