Do you have a treasure trove of letters from a loved one you’ve held onto for years? Whether love letters, letters from a parent, or a child’s handiwork, we prize the written word on paper.

With the advent of digital communication, old fashioned handwritten letters not only have gone out of style, they have become a rarity. Receiving one is so uncommon that we have become accustomed to getting thanks or condolence messages by email (or even text).

And yet, one group of volunteers from across the U.S. has found a moving way to build connection through a letter writing campaign.

The Dad Letter Project

On a recent CBS evening news telecast, co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois shared a poignant story about how letters have helped those without a father feel loved. The idea began in July 2025 with Rosie Paulik, the youngest daughter of Buz Ecker, a prolific letter writer to his children. Throughout their lives, Rosie and her siblings were accustomed to getting handwritten letters from their father for all kinds of occasions.

Recently retired, Buz was looking for ways to occupy his time. That’s when Rosie came up with a brainchild – what if her dad wrote letters to those who “just needed a little love”? She created a Tik Tok saying her dad would “honestly love nothing more than to be everyone’s dad”. She was thinking of those who lost dads, or were estranged, or never had a dad at all.

The response was overwhelming. Hundreds of people requested a Dad letter.

“Every day we hear from people who need a Dad. Someone to encourage them, cheer them on, or simply remind them that they matter…They wanted a letter from my dad, but what they really wanted was a letter from a Dad,” Rosie shares on the Dad Letter Project website.

It quickly became apparent that no matter how many letters Buz wrote, he could not meet the demand. So, Rosie and her dad found others willing to be Dad to those who wanted to hear from them.

Meet the Dads

The men who volunteer for the Dad Project have backgrounds as diverse as their letter-writing styles. Here are a few of them:

Rosie’s dad Buz from Ohio is a recent Ph.D grad at age 67. He gets as much enjoyment writing letters as recipients do in receiving them. “It’s very gratifying to be people’s fathers who don’t have one. And it’s gratifying to write a letter to people who have never gotten a letter from a father”, he shares.

Darren is the “lunch box note kind of dad”. He has always noticed what makes a person special, and never fails to remind them of it.

Tim was an elementary school teacher for 35 years who wants to help himself and others stay connected in an increasingly disconnected world.

Paul was a high school science teacher for 34 years and is choosy about how he volunteers, wanting projects to help people in a direct way.

Brian is an accountant but says his most important role is as husband and father. His children have taught him what loving unconditionally means.

Tom was a university administrator and longtime hospice volunteer who has “a cupful of pens waiting to be used.”

Steven has been a lifelong writer as a lawyer and consumer rights advocate and says his rescue pooch “signs off on every letter I write”.

Mark was a civil engineer who fell in love with puns while writing notes to encourage a friend who was going through cancer treatments.

If you know of someone who would be a good Dad letter writer, send them to www.DadLetterProject.com/BecomeADad. Rosie promises to read every application.

Why Write Letters

The powerful example of The Dad Letter Project underscores the emotional, psychological, and symbolic weight that handwritten letters carry. But it’s not just the recipient who benefits from such a tangible gesture. Letter writers give something of themselves in the writing. Letters don’t need to be perfect. What makes them memorable is that they aren’t polished but instead  bear the stamp of the writers’ personalities.

Think of a person you know who needs a letter from you and write it. The connection you offer could be life-changing. Please share your thoughts with me at AnnLoudenCo@gmail.com.