This fall, the new Cardz for Kidz club was introduced in Townsend Harris High School as a chapter of a nonprofit organization that aims to send handmade cards and crafts to people in need.

The club’s advisor Kayla Gill said that this club will “make students more aware and sensitive to people who are sick or going through a difficult time.”

Senior Jasleen Banda, president & co-founder of the club, said, “As a chapter of the Cards for Kidz organization, our club collects all completed cards throughout the year. Once the cards are finished, we mail them directly to the organization’s headquarters in Chicago, where the main team takes over. At their facility, staff and volunteers sort every card by season to ensure they are ready for distribution.”

She said that “Cards for Kidz partners with a wide network of groups to distribute the cards. They send them to hospitals, foster homes, homeless shelters, nursing homes, and military support groups based on current needs.”

“A handcrafted card is one of the most sentimental things you could gift another person and can go so far when trying to cheer someone up,” said Junior Keira Legaspi, the secretary of Cardz for Kidz

Senior Shayaan Dewan, co-vice president and co-founder of Cardz for Kidz, said he hopes to “leave a long-lasting impact in bringing smiles to kids during times in which they need those words of encouragement.”

He said that he aspires for kids struggling in difficult conditions “to keep fighting and growing up to be amazing role models.”

Senior Karma Dorje, co-vice president of the club, said, “I believe small things like making cards can really make someone’s day […] even though the contribution may be small, it’s the idea of helping those in need that really had me motivated to take part in this club.”

Junior Guadalupe Castro, a member of the club, said that one reason she joined the club was the artistic freedom she had while making the cards. She said, “It’s a great way to be creative while helping others feel seen and cared for.”

Sophomore Alisha Saelao, another member of the club, said the club “contributes to the community and myself as a student by helping me establish my goals, helping me devote my time toward helping others, and by giving me a sense of fulfillment.”

Sophomore Marianne Mortel said that the club can be “a bridge to unite these people together through simple messages and illustrations.”