The Milton Public Library has launched a new program called Project Pen Pal: Seniors Edition to help local teenagers and seniors build friendships through a monthly letter-writing exchange. The initiative in Milton, Ontario, aims to reduce loneliness for older residents while helping students earn community volunteer hours that can count toward Ontario’s 40‑hour high school graduation requirement.
Participants are matched by library staff (the library says its staff handle the matchmaking and pair teens with seniors) and exchange physical letters on a monthly basis. The program emphasizes an “old fashioned” letter-writing process — a break from digital screens — and encourages intergenerational story‑sharing through the mail.
The program has proved popular: a Project Pen Pal session listed on the library calendar was marked ‘Full’ (and the Research Brief notes recent Meet and Greet events reached capacity shortly after being posted). According to the library’s volunteer portal, Project Pen Pal is ‘a fun and creative program that connects teenagers with seniors in a meaningful and thoughtful way,’ and teens who participate are eligible to earn community volunteer hours.
CEO and Chief Librarian Sarah Douglas‑Murray — who is listed on MPL’s management page and referenced in library materials — has emphasized the library’s role in creating social connections in the town. For many students, Project Pen Pal is a flexible way to earn volunteer hours while connecting with older local residents.
A recruitment push to find more Milton seniors began in late October 2024 to keep up with the number of interested students, and the library manages the letter exchange (including drop‑off at branches) to keep the process practical and community‑oriented.
