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Helping children through postcards

Today we would like to share with you two easy ways to make the most of the power of a postcard in brighting someone's day. In particular, of those who might need it the most.

Post Pals

Post Pals is a website ran by a group of volunteers that allows anyone to send postcards/letters/parcels to very sick children. Sending a cheerful post is a very simple and easy way to give this children something to look forward to when they are often isolated and suffering.

The founder of Post Pals is Vikki George who is herself bed-bound for the last seven years due to suffer from ME. Instead of loosing her hope, she spends her time helping sick children through her Post Pals.

Here's a video that explains it further.



We find this to be a great cause and a good example of how a simple postcard can make a big difference.

Children welfare stamps organisation Kinderpostzegels

Kinderpostzegels is organization based (but not specific to) the Netherlands with the same goal of helping children, but through the use of stamps. Here's what Lilian Visscher from Kinderpostzegels shared about it with us:

Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland (Kinderpostzegels) is a children’s charity with the slogan: 'for children, by children'. The annual Children’s Welfare Stamps Campaign, with 200.000 children selling stamps and postcards to 2 million people is a striking example of this, forming the organisation’s showpiece. In this campaign, children help other children. Kinderpostzegels uses the proceeds to support projects focusing primarily on children. Kinderpostzegels believes it is important to involve children as much as possible in the projects.

Kinderpostzegels believes that all children are entitled to develop their individual talents and abilities. They are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and sometimes need extra help and protection.

Kinderpostzegels is an independent organisation, which means it is not tied to governments or economic or political movements.Kinderpostzegels raises and allocates funds for the benefit of children in the Netherlands as well as outside this country.

The postcrossers from Holland can help children who need extra help and protection, by sending their postcards with a children’s welfare stamp. There are two ways: they can order stamps online from our website or they can make up their postcard with children’s welfare stamp online on www.postmijnkaart.nl.

This means that whenever you are sending (for example) a Postcrossing postcard, you can be helping children just by using their stamps. Neat, uh?

So, two easy ways to help children through postcards. Do you know others? Share them in the comments so that others know about them too!


Posted by on 20 Jan, 2011
Tags: ,




17 comments so far

Dubbis, Finland
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Dubbis on 20 Jan, 2011


9teen87, United States of America
I just went to the website and am sitting here crying. Yes, I will be sending postcards and gifts for sure. Thank you very much for posting this.
Posted by 9teen87 on 20 Jan, 2011


DemiReb, Netherlands
As a Dutchie I've known about Kinderpostzegels for a long time. I've sold them as a child and as an adult I buy the stamps and postcard sets every year. But I didn't know about Post Pals. What a wonderful destination for my Kinderpostzegels and cards! First cards are on their way. Thanks for sharing Paulo!
Posted by DemiReb on 20 Jan, 2011


FloridaGirl, United States of America
Thanks for sharing this information with us. It is good to know ways to help children with postcards.
Posted by FloridaGirl on 20 Jan, 2011


MikoMuha, China
Great!
We can do some voluntary work for them...
Posted by MikoMuha on 21 Jan, 2011


dandilion, Netherlands
Kinderpostzegels brings back good memories from my childhood. I sold the stamps and cards door to door in my neighbourhood. And nowadays i buy them from the schoolkids. its for à good cause and im happy to help.
Posted by dandilion on 21 Jan, 2011


ipuenktchen, Iran
post pals by vikki george is perfect to me!!!!!
my cards are written!! thank you so much for introducing this fantastic site!! I'll continue, was looking for smth like this!!
Posted by ipuenktchen on 21 Jan, 2011


Marieke86, Netherlands
Yeah the last card I sent was a Kinderpostzegels-card!! Neat! I've sold them a couple of years when I was a kid, and now I buy the cards or stamps every year! Good cause!
Posted by Marieke86 on 21 Jan, 2011


Mama-Bear, United States of America
I've gone to the site and also am sitting here crying! I will be sending cards and gifts to some of those darlings as well. Thank you for sharing this!
Posted by Mama-Bear on 21 Jan, 2011


Amilda, Ukraine
In Ukraine one youth organization created a studio where children with cancer made some pictures. Then their works were printed as postcards and were sold in supermarkets. All money was given to the hospital where these children live.
All pictures were very bright! I bought several and sent them, but I decided to leave one very special for myself. It helps not to forget that even in very difficult situation you can enjoy life and I wish all sick children not to lose hope and to get an opportunity to recover.
I'm happy that there are people in the world who care!
Posted by Amilda on 21 Jan, 2011


isagv, Germany
A fellow postcrosser introduced me the postpal site a few weeks ago and I also spent whole evening there.

I know the Kinderzegels action too because I saw stamps of them and they also have horse cards every now and than and then I get them from my swap friends. ;)
Posted by isagv on 21 Jan, 2011


Delenna, Finland
I will definitely send some cards to the kids too :)

I've also sent a few postcards to the featured children here: http://www.makeachildsmile.org/faqs.shtml

There are children suffering from various kinds of cancer in the US.
Posted by Delenna on 22 Jan, 2011


CarM, Netherlands
The Kinderpostzegels brings back good memories too! I sold the stamps and cards in my neighbourhood. Nowadays we buy them from the schoolkids :)
Posted by CarM on 22 Jan, 2011


Kissanpoika, Finland
One organization is MACS, Make A Child Smile.
At their page one can find badly ill childrens stories and addresses.
Posted by Kissanpoika on 22 Jan, 2011


doug94550, United States of America
We just sent a postcard to Antonia S.
Posted by doug94550 on 23 Jan, 2011


raluk68, Romania
Thanks for sharing the info Paulo!
I hope I will be able to make Dylan S smile soon! :)
Posted by raluk68 on 25 Jan, 2011


isagv, Germany
my second card will go to jessica M. :)
Posted by isagv on 20 Feb, 2011



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