“It had been weighing on my heart to do something good, and I wanted it to be something that could involve my department,” the State Farm^® employee says. “We’re all so busy, but I wanted to build the team environment and do something good for the community.”

Kate’s brother-in-law serves in the Army. On deployments, Kate and her family would send him care packages.

“He always said how much he cared about getting those.”

Friends of the family have suffered from childhood cancers, and learning the joy a simple card or gift would bring those children touched Kate.

Kate set up a station to create cards for deployed soldiers and hospitalized children at a table in the department. She invited employees to take time to write or design notes of encouragement or appreciation.

“It’s something we could do at the office during huddles. I suggested it could be a good stress-reliever,” she says about the note that went to all of her co-workers. “When I sent the note, people reached out and thanked me for doing this because they felt like we could touch more people with a collective act.”

Kate set a goal of 100 cards by the end of June. Her department surpassed that goal, creating 169 unique cards.

“Not sure how artistic they really are, but I was able to use my imagination, de-stress and hopefully bring a little bit of cheer to deserving people.”

Kate plans to send the cards for soldiers to Operation Gratitude to be distributed to soldiers, per her brother-in-laws suggestion. For the children’s cards, Kate decided on Shriners Hospitals for Children in Galveston, Texas.

“People said making the cards is a stress reliever, because when you feel good about something you’re doing, it makes you happy,” Kate says. “It’s been such a special project for our department and I know it struck a chord with many people.”