OSWEGO, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A SUNY Oswego professor is hoping to reach hundreds impacted by mass shootings, with a few words of comfort from strangers.
Each year, Jaclyn Schildkraut takes care of Cards for Kids, an initiative where she collects holiday cards from people all over the country to give to families and communities impacted by mass shootings.
“Unfortunately, every year more communities need our help. So it’s just something that we’ve come to do not only because it’s important to give back, but also I think it gives back to the contributors as well,” Schildkraut said.
Schildkraut has been doing this for three years and this year, she has a goal of collecting 15,000 cards by mid-December. Come Christmas time, they’ll reach the homes of families in El Paso, Dayton, Parkland, Las Vegas, Newtown, Orlando, Aurora, Santa Fe, and Pittsburgh.
“I think when they’ve lost loved ones in such a horrific way, it lets them know that there’s still good out in the world and there are still people that care and want to make it better,” Schildkraut said.
And while words may never fill the hole now left in these communities, Schildkraut says she’s heard from the families getting the cards. And for the kids, it’s a simple act of kindness, but it goes a long way.
“To really just let them know that they’re being thought of and that they’re loved at this holiday season,” Schildkraut said.
If you’d like to make a card, all you have to is contact Schildkraut via email at jaclyn.schildkraut@oswego.edu. The cards can be handmade or store-bought and they can either be generic or written for a specific family.
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