Create cards with purpose.
Cards With Purpose is an independent volunteer opportunity through which students and community members can create thoughtful, child-friendly cards for children in pediatric healthcare settings.
Volunteers follow clear card-making guidelines and may submit an unlimited number of cards. Each eligible, approved card represents 15 minutes of documented service. Each school or organization independently decides whether to accept or award volunteer hours, so please confirm approval before beginning.
A creative way to serve.
Cards With Purpose combines creativity, encouragement, and community service. Volunteers create handmade cards that may include positive messages, colorful artwork, jokes, riddles, drawing prompts, or other simple activities approved by the receiving organization.
Create Independently
Make your cards at home, at school, or with a club.
Follow Clear Guidelines
Use the approved materials, messages, and card requirements.
Receive Verified Documentation
Each eligible, approved card represents 15 minutes of documented service. Each school or organization decides whether to accept it toward volunteer hours.
A simple card-to-documentation system.
No time logs. No minute tracking. Participants may create and submit an unlimited number of cards, and each eligible, approved card represents 15 minutes of documented service.
Five steps from idea to service documentation.
- 1
Read
Review the complete card-making rules.
- 2
Register
Complete the volunteer registration form before making your cards. Confirm approval with your school or organization first.
- 3
Create
Make as many cards as you would like, following the guidelines.
- 4
Submit
Complete the submission form and deliver or mail the physical cards.
- 5
Receive Documentation
After the cards are reviewed and approved, receive verified documentation of the eligible service performed.
Four kinds of cards you can create.
Encouragement Cards
Positive messages and colorful artwork that do not focus on illness or recovery.
Imagination Cards
Prompts that invite children to imagine characters, creatures, places, adventures, or superpowers.
Activity Cards
Simple paper activities such as mazes, riddles, drawing prompts, searches, or challenges.
Celebration Cards
Birthday or seasonal cards when accepted by the receiving organization.
Card types may change based on receiving-partner requirements.
The Project PLAY · Volunteer Guide
Cards With Purpose Guide
Read this before making your cards.
Your submission
- 1 card15 minutes documented
- 4 cards1 hour documented
- 8 cards2 hours documented
There is no limit on how many cards you may make. Each eligible, approved card represents 15 minutes of documented service (approved cards × 15 minutes). Only cards received, reviewed, and approved under these guidelines are eligible.
Cards should be
- Handmade
- Neat and readable
- Positive and child-friendly
- Appropriate for different ages and healthcare experiences
- Made with reasonable effort
- Different enough to show individual creativity
- Created using approved materials
- Left unsealed if envelopes are included
Card ideas
Example messages
Do not include
- “Get well soon”
- References to illness or diagnoses
- Questions about medical treatment
- Promises that everything will be okay
- Religious messages
- Political messages
- Personal phone numbers
- Personal emails
- Social-media accounts
- Home addresses
- Full names
- Requests for the child to respond
- Food or candy
- Glitter
- Loose sequins
- Sharp objects
- Unapproved removable pieces
- Hospital names or logos without permission
Materials
Currently planned
- Construction paper
- Cardstock
- Crayons
- Colored pencils
- Markers
- Stickers
- Glue sticks
- Printed paper activities
Not permitted
- Glitter
- Loose sequins
- Sharp objects
- Food or candy
- Unapproved removable pieces
Final material rules will be updated after receiving-partner approval.
How approval works.
Verified service documentation is issued only after the physical cards have been received and reviewed by The Project PLAY. Whether a school or organization accepts that documentation toward volunteer hours is decided by them, not by The Project PLAY.
Cards may not be approved if they are:
- Incomplete
- Damaged
- Inappropriate
- Difficult to read
- Made with prohibited materials
- Nearly identical copies showing minimal effort
- Missing required registration information
- Inconsistent with the card-making guide
Only cards that are received, reviewed, and approved under the program guidelines are eligible for service documentation. If some cards are not approved, the documented service is calculated from the approved cards only.
Example outcomes
- 1 approved cardDocumentation for 15 minutes
- 4 approved cardsDocumentation for 1 hour
- 8 approved cardsDocumentation for 2 hours
- 10 submitted · 6 approvedDocumentation for 1 hour 30 minutes
Documentation reflects the eligible service performed. Acceptance of volunteer hours is determined by each school or organization.
Want to make more?
Please do. There is no maximum. Volunteers may create and submit an unlimited number of cards, and every approved card adds another 15 minutes of documented service.
Volunteers are welcome to submit again whenever they have new cards ready.
Ready to participate?
Barnabas has agreed to accept the donated cards, so Cards With Purpose is ready to begin. Until a dedicated signup form is published, please email The Project PLAY to participate — you will receive the current guidelines and next steps.
Sign up through our registration form.
Complete the Cards With Purpose registration form to get started. It opens in a new tab.
Questions? Email theprojectplay1@gmail.com.