The idea for the Giving Back Initiative started with a simple yet powerful belief, that elderly people deserve empathy and respect, and should not be forgotten. They are wise, hold a lifetime of experience and are too often discarded.
Giving Back is an initiative I, Sherry Baldwin, started at Solano Community College that brings students together to make personal, handwritten cards for elderly residents, with the goal of spreading kindness, empathy, and human connection to those who are often forgotten.
The event will take place every Tuesday, starting May 5, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Wellness Center on the Fairfield Campus. My goal is to create a safe, welcoming space where students can come together, be creative, and give back to their community. Supplies to make the cards will be provided by Student Services and me, and creative card designs are encouraged!
To make this happen, I worked with Vice President of Student Services Lisa Neely. She approved the idea almost immediately, and I connected with the Director of Student Development & Engagement, Gabriella Ballesteros, to follow up with details about supplies. I also reached out to Rebecca Tilley at the Wellness Center to help coordinate getting the event on the campus calendar.
I felt it was essential to personally hand out cards to elderly residents, to make the experience more meaningful. I contacted a Director of Activities at the Vallejo Care Center, and she approved the idea of personally handing out the cards, because this initiative is about literally giving back.
In this project, we will be writing not just holiday cards, but cards they can enjoy everyday. I want the messages to feel personal, reminding residents that someone is thinking about them even on ordinary days. I believe that even the smallest acts of kindness can touch someone’s heart, and that an unexpected reminder that someone cares could last a lifetime.
The idea to create this initiative comes from childhood experiences that have stayed with me.
When I was around nine or ten, I went Christmas caroling at elderly care centers. I remember how much joy it brought, even to people I didn’t know. I will never forget the smiles on their faces, the sparkle in their eyes, and the sense of peace and love in the room. Some of them had no family, no visitors, and no phone calls. The impact I made on their lives just by showing up ended up impacting me, and inspired this initiative to give back.
That experience shaped how I see giving back. I believe elderly people deserve empathy, respect, and recognition for the lives they’ve lived and the wisdom they carry.
I hope this initiative will not only impact the residents receiving the cards, but also the students creating them, by encouraging compassion, connection and laughter.
This event will happen every Tuesday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Wellness Center on the Fairfield Campus. Feel free to stop by and utilize your creativity to make someone’s day!
