Woman in Business Makes People Smile With Letters
Meet Teresa Catherine Rose, Founder Letters-from-the-Heart, Inc. in West Palm Beach, FL
Twelve years ago Terry Rose worked for a large hospital system in Central Florida. She wasn’t a doctor or nurse, orderly or admissions clerk, technician or administrator. She was a marketing representative who called upon nursing and other long-term care facilities that served the elderly.
“The first thing I would see when entering one of these facilities was the wheelchair occupants strategically placed throughout the lobby,” Rose said. “Entering the building caused every face to turn and display that most expectant of expressions which silently cried ‘Are you here to see ME?’” This experience was so upsetting she decided she had to do something about the isolation and loneliness she was seeing day after day. When she determined she could give the gift of letters to these people, she founded the Make Someone Smile program. Personalized and hand-crafted, Rose’s 2-3 page letters are mailed once-a-month for an entire year and include a birthday card and gift and a December holiday card and gift.
In 2007, the Make Someone Smile program evolved into Letters-from-the-Heart, Inc. Who buys Letters-from-the-Heart? Most purchasers are individual family members, though others who utilize this service are eldercare attorneys, court-appointed guardians, trust attorneys — anyone responsible for the care of an elderly person. The fee for this annual program is modestly priced at $250 regardless of where in the world the recipient may live.
Rose never expects the recipients of her letters to write back. She assures them in her introductory letter that she does not expect return mail; she only hopes they enjoy receiving her letters as much as she enjoys sending them. The mission of Letters-from-the-Heart is to bring friendship and enjoyment into the lives of elderly people. “These folks are of the era of hand-written letters,” said Rose. “They are the ones who had beautiful penmanship, appreciated lovely stationery, sent thank you notes, and shared their joys and heartaches on paper. It is truly an honor for me to brighten their lives in this small way.”
Rose is quick to point out that Letters-from-the-Heart is not a substitute for family caring but, rather, is an opportunity to offer a consistent and ongoing friendship to loved ones who miss their long-time friends and companions. Receiving a hand-written letter in the mail is always an uplifting and fun experience, no matter what one’s age. Maybe someday she will write to you!
you can learn more at: http://www.Letters-from-the-Heart.com
Terry is a very genuine and sincere individual, not to mention an excellent linguist. She’s compasionate and you can tell that her letters are truly from the heart.
Terry Rose’s thoughtful compassion and unique concept is so inspiring.
Letters-from-the-Heart is a terrific service and I know that it improves
the quality of life of each recipient. I can only imagine the happiness these
letters bring to each and every well-deserving senior who receives them!
Way to go Terry!
This is an incredible service by a warm, caring woman. To understand that the letters are about things the recipient cares about and are offered as a correspondence with someone who might have a common interest makes it clear these could really be a wonderful thoughtful way to express love and not just from the family member. Kudos for a great idea and follow through.
Terry Rose is a dynamic person who along with her other lifetime achievements has created a wonderful and compassionate service. Congratulations to you Terry on this great article and for all the good works you do.
This is one of those services that, sadly, is needed, and Terry’s understanding of that and her sincerity and compassion in providing it shines through in this article. Her emphasis on this being in addition to correspondence from family and friends is an important point that hopefully her clients “get.” My mother has been at an independent living facility for just over a year and is fortunate to have family and longtime friends close by, but I see that same longing on the faces of many of the residents there that Terry experienced which inspired her to create Letters-From-The-Heart.
What a wonderful, much-needed idea. Best of luck!
.-= Roberto Marinelli Mischak´s last blog ..Tremonti contro La Marcegaglia: Un Ritorno al Passato? =-.
Having worked as an Activities Director and Social Services Director for 5 years I witnessed first hand a number of elderly individuals who received little contact from others outside of the Nursing Homes. This lack of contact contributed toward withdrawel and increased isolationism. Mrs. Rose understands impact n seniors and her compassionate and well researched letters personally connect with the seniors her letters reach. Her letters range from current affairs to personal attention and go a long way to keep these seniors feeling special and connected.
What a wonderful article. It is great to know there are still people out there with pen and paper! With the disconnection of our society and text messaging, I think this is a much needed service for our elderly.
Terry has taken on an important mission. She is not only a great writer, but also a caring enough to use her talent in a beautiful way. Thanks for the lives you touch and congratulations on your success.
What a wonderful and unique idea Terry has developed. Lovely article. Here’s to many more!
A wonderful lady accomplishing a wonderful deed!
Terry is the most genuine person I have met in a long time. Her service is fabulous and a perfect gift for the holidays coming up. Think back to when you were a child and the holidays would come I know I could not wait to go to the mailbox and get a card from someone I knew it always made me feel so special. Terry can create that same warm feeling for the elderly who probably need it more.
Great article Terry – congratulations!!!
Thanks so much to Heidi and all the staff at WE Magazine for this wonderful honor! It is truly a pleasure to be included among so many dynamic and capable women.
Sincerely,
Terry
For those of us who know Terry and how she has worked and researched to develop this project; her day to day efforts of bringing this sunshine to others has been and is truly a labor of love. I wish her best and hope the sunshine she is able to bring will become gifts for hundreds if not thousands of others. It is and will be a gift which will keep on giving well after it is received.
Terry has a gift of connecting with people through words with a loving and caring touch. She researches what is important to the recipient of her letters and refers to those points of interest. Terry is truly a blessing to those she writes and others who come in personal contact with her.
I have had the distinct pleasure of knowing and working with Terry over the past several years. She is everything others have said, and more. She is a loyal and devoted friend, compassionate to those of all ages, and articulate in speach and prose. When she told me whe was going to start her new business I knew she would be an instant success. She is a blessing to her family, to her friends, and to her business contacts. Her integrity is beyond imagination. Thank you for recognizing her talents and promoting them. She is one of very few who still recognize the importance of sending handwritten letters and notes.
Having worked as a health care professional with geriatric patients, I can testify to the enormous need for the type of service that Terry is offering her clients. The loneliness and depression that affects so many of our seniors can be greatly lessened by the compassion and concern which each letter provides. The personal nature of Terry’s letters will do much to bring a smile to the faces of the lucky recipients and boost their feelings of self worth. What an innovative idea for our times!
What a lovely idea. Yes I recall my grandmother writing to loved ones. She was always careful about her penmenship. It is a shame that we have forgotten that art. I still appreciate a hand written note myself. Great job Terry and best wishes for great success.
Larabee
Terry’s unique service to the elderly brings joy to so many of the older generation who wisely cherish and delight in hand written letters to create a nostalgic bridge between the past and the present. I remember how much my own mother truely valued and loved receiving birthday cards and hand written letters that, by their nature, require personal effort,special communication,a private bond, and gift from sender to receiver. Terry’s focus on the recipient’s individual interests, hobbies and memories can only enrich, enlighten and delight the older members of our families – those who have given us so much, who now deserve as much as we can give them to brighten the twilight of their lives.
Terry is an energetic spirit full of life who shares her enthusiasm with love and kindness. Having worked with the geriatric population, I can attest that letters are a meaningful way for people to feel a sense of connection. Terry’s genuine interest in the welfare of others makes these letters a true treasure.
I have gotten to know Terry through the BPW of Jupiter women’s organization. She is a wonderful person who is generous in her time and energy to devote to making a difference in an elderly persons life. I have had a 30 year career in the Nursing Home industry and these people deserve to be treated with respect and shown they are not forgotten. My hat is off to her and her nitch she has created for herself and made a differnce in someones life.
Terry Rose is definitely a woman of morals, compassion and a great sense of humor. Her interest in people of all ages is obvious the moment you meet her. Letters from the Heart are exactly what they say and would make anyone, feel special.
Kudos to Terry for trying to keep the memory of when “snail mail” was the norm and people appreciated the power of pen put to paper!
Susan Zellea
Terry is truly a blessing to those she writes to and for, and to others who come in personal contact with her. She has a gift of connecting with people through words with a loving and caring touch. Terry researches what is important to the recipient of her letters and refers to those points of interest. “Letters from the Heart” so accurately describes Terry’s mission.
For as long as I can remember, my sister Terry has always been active in helping those in need or part of some form of charity or another. To this day she drives 4 hours to check in on an elderly couple in their mid 90′s to make sure they are truly managing OK.
Years ago, Terry attended a charity event that she really believed in. She put high bids on numerous silent auction items trying to stimulate people to give. Well, she ended up owning almost 90% of the items she bid on! We all had a GREAT Christmas that year! “Thanks for that wonderful weekend in St. Petersburg, Ter!” (I’m sure it took her a while to pay that one off!)
That’s only a little about my big hearted sister Terry. I realize when she created, “Letters from the Heart” the name of her company truly says it all………..
It takes an amazing woman like Terry Rose, with her compassion and business acumen, to create this service! Kudos to her. How many spirits have been lifted just knowing they mean enough to someone to get mail and be remembered at the holidays? Probably more than we will ever know. I have had the pleasure of working with Terry and getting to know her for the wonderful person she is. Thanks for the article, and thanks to Terry for her generous heart.
What a beautiful idea. I only wish I had parents alive so I could use this. It must make people feel wonderful.
Terry Rose is a caring, compassionate person who understands the special needs of seniors. While many of that population have mastered the computer age, many more have not, and still rely on “snail mail” to communicate the important matters in life. What a wonderful service for those who have given so much during their lifetimes. Thank you, Terry.
Terry has dedicated her career to serving the greater good. An experienced and enthusiastic professional, I continue to be impressed with her and her thoughtful endeavor, Letters-from-the-Heart.
I have had the pleasure of know Terry for a number of years…..To say she is as beautiful a person on the inside, as she is on the outside, does not even cover it. Terry is funny, brillant, charming and a dear friend. How nice to have good news to read about a wnderful person!