From Passion to Action
Written by Allison Liu
Edited by Mia Liang
Photo by Elise Su
Some people are lucky enough to uncover their passions early on in life. For others, it may take some time. What matters most is how our passions drive and motivate us. How can we put them towards the greater good? In many cases, starting a passion project can help us do exactly that. This journey is something that two grade 11 students at Havegal have recently embarked upon, and they continue to learn and develop their passion through the experience. It was a pleasure to interview Elise Su and Victoria Lu, co-founders of PaperHugs, a non-profit organization that aims to reduce senior isolation. These students embody the idea of a passion project through and through, using their passions to make a lasting impact and share it with us. This piece explores various parts of our interview to ultimately understand PaperHugs’s origin story, its mission, the process of setting up an organization, and how Havergal can play a role in this organisation. Let this example serve as a learning opportunity as well as a thought-provoking story on turning passion into meaningful action.
When asked What’s the story of how PaperHugs came to be?, both Elise and Victoria answered that it came from their desire to make a difference. “It all goes back to one of our volunteer shifts together,” says Elise. “We were volunteering at a long-term care home [the Carefree Lodge]in the aftermath of Covid. As we interacted with the seniors, we couldn't help but notice the isolation that many of them faced.” They realized that even simple interactions, like a handwritten letter, could bridge the gap between generations. “We want tofoster a sense of belonging that so many seniors long for.” explains Victoria. Thus, their penpal program was born.
PaperHugs achieves its mission by matching up high school students and seniors as penpals who exchange stories, experiences, and laughter through letters. This idea reaches far beyond words on a piece of paper and promotes meaningful relationships that truly make a difference. Especially for seniors in long-term care homes, these kinds of interactions can really make someone’s day. Victoria expresses that these letters aim to “forge connections that transcend age, backgrounds, and life experiences.”
How do things work behind the scenes? What were the necessary steps you took to put PaperHugs in place? Through our interview, the co-founders of PaperHugs gave us a sneak peek into the background process of setting up a non-profit organization. “The process was really long and took quite a bit of planning,” says Elise. They are currently working on setting up their first penpal program, and the whole process required a lot of exchange between them and the Carefree Lodge coordinator- Lysa. At Havergal, they contacted many teachers and staff about their non-profit. “It also involved contacting the Forum for Change, Ms. Dos Santos, and Ms. Russell”.
All in all, the process really took months of booking meetings, coordinating, and recruiting. They also worked on designing and creating an online platform to increase engagement. No doubt the experience had a number of ups and downs and things felt slow at times. “What fuels our passion and pushes us to keep going is the knowledge that a small act of kindness can have a monumental impact.” Victoria expressed. Both founders have seen firsthand how impactful these letters can be. “The smiles that light up faces when a letter arrives, the anticipation that builds with each exchange, and the genuine friendships that blossom over time, that’s what makes it all worth it,” said Elise and Victoria.
This is such a great thing that’s blossomed over time. How can the Havergal community become more involved? This experience is something that our co-founders long to share with their school community, and PaperHugs more than welcomes volunteers. “There’s a Google form to fill out for those who want to apply, and some positions even offer leadership experience. It’s really a great opportunity,” says Elise. By starting the first Havergal-Carefree Lodge program, Paperhugs is looking for students willing to write letters for volunteer hours. “Strong interpersonal skills and language ability are highly valued, so please look into applying. An announcement will be coming out soon!” adds Victoria. As part of the pen pal program, our co-founders are trying to organize a meet-up towards the end of the year so students get to meet their senior pen pal in person.
A passion should be something that you truly care about, and these two students have found theirs. More than anything, their passion is what drives them to make a change when they notice an issue. Through something that seems so simple, like a letter, PaperHugs is creating relationships that enrich lives. How can you use your passion to do the same?