Tessenderlo Kerley Writes Over 150 Letters of Encouragement for Senior Citizens
Everyone needs some words of encouragement from time to time. Love For Our Elders was created to fill that void for senior citizens – and in July, Tessenderlo Kerley stepped in to help.
Created in 2013 by Jacob Cramer following the loss of his grandfather, Love For Our Elders asks people to write letters to senior citizens who are going through tough times. Each month, Love For Our Elders selects eight seniors nominated by friends and family to receive those letters and provides background and a mailing address for each of them on its website.
Tessenderlo Kerley created a company-wide goal to write and send letters to the seniors selected by Love For Our Elders for July. By the end of the month, Tessenderlo Kerley collectively wrote and sent a total of 153 letters to those seniors.
“Love For Our Elders is grateful to the Tessenderlo Kerley volunteers who wrote letters to our July elders,” Cramer said. “Thanks to them, there are less elders in the world who feel isolated and alone.”
From the corporate office in Phoenix to plants across the U.S., to employees working remotely, Tessenderlo Kerley created letter-writing parties, during which employees enjoyed cookies and tea while writing letters to seniors. Friends and family of Tessenderlo Kerley employees wrote letters, as well.
It’s all part of Tessenderlo Kerley’s ongoing mission to give back to communities on a national and local scale.
“Encouraging and uplifting words, even from someone you might not know, can go a long way,” said Tessenderlo Kerley Executive Vice President Russell Sides. “We are so glad to partner with Love For Our Elders to let senior citizens know they’re valued and appreciated. I’m proud of the Tessenderlo Kerley family for responding in such a big way.”