Resident pen pal program connects seniors with local elementary students

Last year, Colony Plaza Community Impact Coordinator Dave Filliben came up with the idea of starting a pen pal program between the residents of this high-rise senior housing and the fifth grade class at Lewis Elementary a couple of blocks away.

Drawing on an old friendship with fifth grade teacher Rebecca Davis, the pair came up with a plan and began the process of encouraging participation at their respective work venues. Filliben caught the interest of 10 residents and Davis engaged a group of students. The word spread among the residents and soon he doubled the number who wanted to pen a letter to their young friends down the street. Filliben hand delivers the letters to the school and picks up the students’ correspondence to their Colony Plaza friends.

The pen pals soon had the opportunity to meet face to face when Colony Plaza hosted a pizza lunch for residents and students and the “younger” friends were only too happy to serve the pizza and drinks. Following, the pen pal lunch, more residents asked to be pen pals and more Lewis students were eager to sign up.

Research shows that social connection has a measurable impact on health and wellbeing, especially among older adults. Filliben calls it a low-cost, low-tech activity that brings the generations together for friendship, outreach and human connection.