“A Letter, A Smile” initiative: words to create connections with seniors

Because a word can sometimes change everything,

The Foundation wanted to partner with the "One Letter, One Smile" association to bring a little comfort to seniors often facing loneliness.

Our project:

For two months this summer, we mobilized our teams to write letters to elderly people, whether they live in retirement homes, nursing homes, or at home. A collection box was set up at our Roubaix site and in Belgium to gather these expressions of care and kindness.

In total, nearly 50 letters were collected. Simple words, sometimes anonymous, that nevertheless had an immense impact: offering warmth, a smile, and companionship to people who sometimes desperately lack it.

These letters helped create a real connection: beyond simply reading them, they sometimes sparked ongoing conversations. For many recipients, receiving a letter is a gesture that restores confidence and the desire to connect with others.

An internally driven initiative

This project was launched thanks to Aurélien Blondel, patron of the "Une Lettre, Un Sourire" (One Letter, One Smile) association, who proposed and championed this wonderful initiative within the Foundation. We warmly thank him, as well as everyone who took the time to write a letter.