Purple Butterfly Smiles - Card Donation Guidelines

You can spread kindness with your creativity through the Purple Butterfly Smiles initiative!

Here's how it works:

1. You send your handmade cards (blank inside - with no personal message) to Purple Butterfly Smiles, Inc.  

2. We organize and distribute the cards to retirement homes, and other organizations serving Senior Citizens. 

3. The cards are used to add handwritten messages of encouragement and love and give them to seniors and other people in need.  

Many of these cards will become cherished treasures that will be kept and preserved for years to come.

Card Themes We Are Currently In Need Of: 

Please keep in mind that we are in need of cards suitable for male and female in the following categories:

• Thinking of you

• Hello

• Birthday

• Just Because

• Just For You

• Christmas 

• Inspirational / Motivational

Purple Butterfly Smiles truly appreciates the effort and thoughtfulness you have put into creating cards.  As requested by many of our partner organizations, we are unable to send cards that contain personal information such as company or business names, websites, email addresses, and phone numbers.  We kindly request that volunteers refrain from any type of personal or business information on the cards that are sent in.

If you would like to personalize your cards by writing or using a stamp, we suggest a simple "Hand Made By" or similar stamp with your first name or initials, which would be a wonderful touch to your card.

Thank you for helping to support our mission of providing beautiful meaningful creation for anyone in need!

Card Guidelines:

• All cards must be handmade - no computer card-making programs or store bought cards. No repurposed card fronts.

• Card bases need to be at least 65# or heavier cardstock. No construction, typing or copy paper.

• Please DO NOT SMOKE while making, storing or packaging cards.

• Please create cards in a pet-free room as some recipients may have allergies to pets.

• All cards should be made using the below themes.

• Preferred card sizes are A2 (4 1/4 x 5 1/2) or A7 (5 x 7), please include appropriate envelope with each card.

• Please know that we appreciate all cards received. Larger number of Holiday Cards are always in demand. Please make your cards unique and think "Quality over Quantity". Try out a new technique or use something different from your craft stash. We encourage you to use Card Layouts available from various crafters on YouTube, we can recommend some if you wish, just email Juanita.

• No Glitter or Shaker Cards

• Please leave cards blank on the inside.

• Please line the inside of the card if using non-white/cream card bases, especially the dark bases.

• Keep cards upbeat (no sorry you're sick, get well soon, stay strong or You've Got This, etc.). These cards are intended to take the focus off being alone and being in the facility. Halloween greeting should be fun, not scary.

• Do not include religious symbols, sayings, blessings, or themes, staff are not always aware of recipient's faith.

No Minimum Number of Cards:
​Before you send your cards to us, remember you can take a photo and share your cards on social media page using the hashtags #purplebutterflysmiles to spread the word!  However, will have started taking photos of each card and it will be featured on our Facebook Page and coming soon to YouTube.

​​Card submissions also need to be accompanied by a submission form. 

Click here to download and print the submission form. 

​Make sure to fill out the form and include it with your shipment of cards to Purple Butterfly Smiles, Inc.

Thank you for creating cards to support our mission to help those in need through handmade creativity! 

​Don't forget to include your completed submission form so that we can keep track of card submissions and contact you to confirm receipt of your cards.

NOTE: Please mail cards via USPS Ground Advantage to save on postage. Using Pirate Ship can also save on postage and it is free to create an account. We do not have an affiliation with Pirate Ship.