Notes for Support

Anyone can send notes of encouragement to COVID-19 patients & health care workers, which we'll print & send it to hospitals!

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Inspiration & Problem

Two years ago, I was in quarantine for a month due to a disease. During that time, I was extremely lonely, so get-well-soon cards from friends meant the world to me -- it showed that I wasn't alone.

Currently, one in two health care workers are struggling with depression amid Covid-19 and many patients have to die alone due to the infectious nature of the virus. This inspired me to create Notes for Support.

Solution

Through this website, anyone can anonymously write an encouraging note to a healthcare worker or coronavirus patient. Once enough notes come in, they will be printed and shipped to hospitals. The hospitals then distributed the notes to medical workers & patients.

Proof of Concept

  1. According to a fifty year study conducted by Harvard University, human connection is the single most important component of happiness. That's why the concept of sending physical, individual notes is so powerful.
  2. So far, I've received, printed & sent 2,200+ letters across 30+ hospitals in the US.

Impact on the struggling patients & healthcare workers

There is something so powerful in receiving a personal, physical letter -- it reminds you that people still care. Several hospitals have reached out & said that these letters "are better than any donation" because they "mean so much". Loneliness can kill while a personal letter can save a life.

Worked on + Need

Polishing the site, contacting hospitals (have formed partnerships with 30+ hospitals in the US). I've received notes from all around the world (~15 countries) & now need to branch out to hospitals in Europe.

What's Next + Value after the Crisis

Up next: Automating the physical note making process & finding printing volunteers to help spread out the work.

Post-crisis value: Even before the pandemic, patients with conditions such as acanthamoeba keratitis have been socially isolated during critical treatment. After the crisis, this program will still be continued to support those patients and staff who need it most.

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