College students across the country pen pal with nursing home residents

Maggie Hillegass, a University of Michigan student from Connecticut, set up a pen pal program between college students all over the nation and nursing home residents. I spoke to Maggie about her relationship with nursing home resident Jeanette, and what inspired her to start this program.

Maggie first began corresponding with Jeanette in the 6th grade, through a school community service program, and they have maintained their relationship ever since.

“Our relationship has evolved from something that used to be like, me coloring her pictures and bringing her flowers to now where, I can actually like talk to her about my own life and she can talk to me about hers. And I think we’ve become like a support system for each other.”

After Maggie’s former school ended their pen pal program, Jeanette informed Maggie about how the residents of the nursing home missed communicating with the students, especially when the threat of covid-19 kept residents from receiving any visitors. Maggie decided to start a new program by reaching out to her friends and other college students.

“Because I have a pretty good, you know, network of peers my own age via social media, I thought the easiest way to get the word out would be to post something.”

Since posting, Maggie has received a lot of interest from other students, collecting around 170 responses. Bringing the program back to its roots, Maggie has been working with the same people who helped run the original pen pal program from her middle school days. Together, they have organized a program which not only provides a source of comfort for the nursing home residents, but also gives students important perspective.

“I think reconnecting with older generations will help us understand that, yes even though this time is difficult, these people also lived through, you know, they’ve lived through very difficult times as well.”