Pen Friends Collective is a group founded in May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Our main goal is to combat loneliness and brighten the days of seniors who are finding themselves increasingly isolated during the coronavirus pandemic. By matching each senior participant with a young adult (Pen Friend), we allow both parties to cultivate meaningful emotional connections through photos, artwork, and handwritten letters.

As of today, our Collective is formed of over 50 young adults and university students with ties to Edmonton (some living in Alberta, others living in other provinces across the country), over 30 individual senior pen pals, two groups of residents living at Alzheimer’s cottages, and many recreation staff at assisted living facilities in the Edmonton area and Pincher Creek.