Pen Pals 4 Change

Pen Pals
4 Change

What is this?Our schools
what is this?

A letter program
for Milwaukee kids.

Pen Pals 4 Change connects elementary school students through handwritten letters. Avleen visits classrooms, teaches kids how to write a letter, and then the mail starts.

Every two weeks, letters travel from one Milwaukee school to another. By hand, on paper, with drawings on the back.

Started by Avleen, a Marquette student, in 2022. Read her story.

Kids writing letters at their desks, overhead view

letter day at Pleasant View

Teacher leading a letter-writing lesson with kids

A classroom visit

Avleen comes in for 45 minutes. Kids learn greeting, body, sign-off. Then they write.

Two kids reading a letter together

Matched pen pals

Every kid gets a specific person at the other school. Same grade, one thing in common.

Decorated envelope with colorful drawings

Mail, every two weeks

Letters go back and forth on a schedule. Decorated envelopes strongly encouraged.

What it looks like.

Milwaukee classrooms, hand-delivered mail, kids who write back.

Kids in classroom holding papers
Kid writing a letter close-up
Kids at round table writing overhead
Kids at round table with star stickers
Kids writing with pencils visible
Kid holding a decorated envelope

our classrooms so far

Two schools. Looking for more!

where it began

Pleasant View

Milwaukee · since 2022 · 3rd & 4th grade

newest classroom

Southwood Glen

Milwaukee · since 2024 · 3rd & 4th grade

Want in on this?

We need volunteers, classrooms, and the occasional decorator-of-envelopes.

VolunteerBring it to your schoolJust say hi