About

HappiHello is a creative resource connecting volunteers with nonprofits to send uplifting handmade cards to children, seniors, and troops across the globe. HappiHello provides easy-to-follow cardmaking tutorials and supply lists, a directory of nonprofits, and a community to inspire one another to do good. 

HappiHello is funded by personal contributions from volunteers, and all cards are provided for free to nonprofits. We are not-for-profit, but do not have tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization status yet. Until then, the best way to contribute to HappiHello is by creating cards or contributing Michaels gift cards (visit Donate for more information). Thank you!

THE STORY BEHIND HAPPIHELLO

My name is Eileen Ann, and I’ve been crafting since I was nine years old, which funnily enough now equates to decades(!) of learning, refining, and making all sorts of things by hand. As my closest family and friends would attest, I’ve always said, “This year, my goal is to set up an Etsy shop.” I think this has been on repeat for the past five years at minimum. Snaps for my loved ones for always receiving that statement with enthusiasm and support year after year. I <3 you.

This year has been one of lost physical connection with family and friends. Specifically, this Thanksgiving weekend, I mourned the loss of annual traditions - like traveling up to Boston for the week and eating / napping on repeat - as many millions of Americans did as well. It gave me time to reflect on the year we’ve endured.

The Dark Months

Living in New York City, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, during March and April 2020 can be described in one word: horrific. (Side note: You may ask, why didn’t I leave? I stayed here for personal reasons, that, at the time made sense for me to stay - the details of which I won’t get into here.)

Temporary morgues, unmarked graves, field hospitals, and a hospital ship descended on the city. Grocery store shelves were cleaned out. It felt like the world was falling apart all around us. 

The relentless ambulance sirens cut through the deafening silence of the city, which once had an ambient soundtrack of taxis honking, pedestrians talking on their phones, and trucks making deliveries. The sirens went on every 5-10 minutes for weeks, haunting us during the day as we desperately tried to focus on work and echoing in our ears as we tried to sleep away the horror at night. 

Going for a walk meant piling on foreign gear like masks and disposable gloves, anxiously keeping an eye out for anyone walking nearby, and quickly removing all clothes to put in a separate bag before the virus could ‘get’ you. 

For me, there were days when I didn’t even open my apartment door. There were weeks when I cried every single day. There were many months when I did not work out or do anything creative.  

HappiHello: Create, Donate, and Heal, Together ♥️

I created HappiHello as a way to heal from the awful experiences earlier this year. Both making art and receiving art heals the soul, which is why I chose to focus on 1) teaching how to hand make cards with love and 2) finding nonprofit organizations that distribute handmade cards to those in need. HappiHello serves as the creative outlet to combine my passion and expertise from the past couple decades and create a lasting impact by bringing others along. 

I hope you’ll join me in helping make the world a brighter place, one handmade card at the time.

Thanks for reading,

Eileen