Communities share what they need. Volunteers, families, schools, faith groups and performers share what they'd love to offer. A connection moves forward only when both sides agree.
Free for everyone. No cost to communities, volunteers or groups.
DiscoverBrowse before signing in.
Express interestSign in when you're ready to act.
Both sides agreeInterest becomes a connection.
Coordinate & completeSchedule, follow requirements and record impact.
I WANT TO HELP
Bring what you can offer.
Browse or post an offer. Find an active need, or tell communities what you would love to do.
Express interest. The community reviews it and lets you know if it's a good fit; your interest is not an automatic match.
Get connected. When the community says yes, it becomes an active connection.
Coordinate the details. Use My volunteering for dates, instructions and updates, and complete any orientation or screening the community requires.
Make it happen. Completed cards, visits, songs and projects contribute to your Pen Pal Tree impact. Volunteer hours are recorded when applicable and confirmed through the connection workflow.
Share what your community needs. Pen pals, performers, cards, volunteers, schools or something new.
Browse offers. Find musicians, schools, groups and individuals already offering something.
Say yes only to what fits. You review every request and decide whether and how to proceed. Nothing becomes an active resident connection without your approval.
Coordinate safely. Your own visitor, volunteer, screening and participation requirements always apply.
Confirm what happened. Mark connections complete to keep a record, record impact and confirm volunteer hours when applicable.
How much staff time does it take? Most individual requests should take only a few minutes to review. You choose how many connections to accept, and you can pause opportunities when you are not accepting more.
Pen Pal Tree may help you discover a community using public directory information, but we cannot deliver an in-app connection request to a community that has no Pen Pal Tree representative. When public contact information is available, we show it and suggest who to contact and what to say. You can save your interest while you contact the community directly.
On Pen Pal Tree: send your interest through the platform. Not yet on Pen Pal Tree: contact the community directly using the public information available, and invite them to join.
How pen-pal letters work
Use the community's mailing instructions. Letters go through the participating community rather than to a resident's private home or room address.
Staff coordinate delivery. They can help a resident read a letter when appropriate.
Residents reply if they wish. Staff may help coordinate replies according to the community's process.
No reply is okay. Some residents cannot or choose not to write back and may still enjoy receiving mail. Follow the community's guidance about whether to continue.
One responsible adult or group leader can register and coordinate on behalf of the group. Children participate through that adult, school or organization—not through their own Pen Pal Tree account. When a connection includes service hours, completed time can be recorded and confirmed through the connection workflow.
