Question 1

Friend Mail Letter-Writing Guidelines

Accepted Answer

Please look at our Friend Mail page for letter-writing guidelines. We also have a gallery of sample letters to inspire you.

Question 2

How To Send Letters of Support / Mailing Address

Accepted Answer

SEND ALL PHYSICAL MAIL TO:
Be A Friend Project
P.O. BOX 30
Beacon, NY 12508

SENDING VIRTUAL MAIL
Letters can be sent by using our online form, sending us your Google Drive link, or an email. Emails can also include PDFs or pictures of your handmade letters! For best results, take pictures overhead and straight-on, easiest to do by placing them on the floor. We will print it out for you and include it in the "Friend Mail" delivery!
Email friendmail@beafriendproject.org

Question 3

Can you help cover the cost of postage?

Accepted Answer

We can reimburse your postage expenses if that is holding back your group or school from on-going participation! We want to make it EASY for you to keep sending your support. All you have to do is send a note requesting the postage reimbursement (with name for check) inside your package of Friend Mail and you will receive a check in the amount of postage on the envelope. Be sure to include a return address!

Question 4

How do you make sure the recipient doesn't receive inappropriate messages?

Accepted Answer

A volunteer "Review Crew" reads EVERY letter to assure Guidelines have been followed before including it with the Friend Mail delivery!

Question 5

How will I know when to write to someone new?

Accepted Answer

Ambassadors receive email notifications when a new Friend Mail Recipient is listed on our website or when surprise Friend Mail has been delivered. Simply send jennifer@beafriendproject.org an email from your address with "Add me to your Ambassador mailing list" in the subject line - DONE!

Learn more about Ambassadors

Question 6

I know a child or teen who is being bullied. How can I recommend them to Be A Friend Project?

Accepted Answer

If you know a youth that is experiencing or recovering from bullying that would benefit from a surprise delivery of peer support, please connect the parent/guardian with jennifer@beafriendproject.org or complete this online referral form.

A Referral will begin the process of selection; it does not automatically register a child to receive Friend Mail. After a Referral, the next step for the BAFP is to chat briefly with a Parent/Guardian.

Friend Mail Recipients are only selected with direct permission from their parents/guardians. If we select your referral as a hopeful Recipient, and you are not the parent/guardian, we will be asking you for their contact info before we can proceed.

Question 7

What is the criteria for Friend Mail Recipients?

Accepted Answer

Recipients must be experiencing or recovering from severe bullying and be in Grades Kindergarten through 12th Grade.

Question 8

I would like my child to receive Friend Mail but I'm concerned about privacy. How are recipients protected?

Accepted Answer

Our Promise to Parents/Guardians
To bring you happy tears!
To deliver peer support to your child!

We promise to deliver transformational peer support to your child that will help them stay strong, know they matter and that they are not alone!

​We promise to keep your children's identity safe and anonymous. 
We will not reveal a Recipient's last name, address, school name or "out" their bullies. Unless you live in a large city like Miami or Chicago, we will not even reveal the town of residence, only the state. The only exception to this is if these identifiers have already appeared on a public newscast or article about the bullying that we embed on the Recipient's page. We also offer the option of changing your child's name in the story and covering their faces in pictures.

We promise to review every single letter of support before it is included in your child's Friend Mail Package to make sure letter-writing guidelines are followed. We do not allow last names or any contact info, including social media addresses—only names and addresses of schools. We do not allow writers to suggest retaliation or violence of any kind, blame the victim (i.e. "you should have stood up for yourself") or to proselytize politically or religiously. If we come upon any of this, we pull the letter or just use a good ol' black Sharpie or White-Out to eliminate the problem!

If you still have concerns, send an email to jennifer@beafriendproject.org.

Question 9

What is expected of Parents/Guardians of Friend Mail Recipients?

Accepted Answer

The BAFP is 100% funded through donations. There is no fee for participants, whether Recipients, Ambassadors or Schools.

Before the BAFP can feature a child or teen as a Recipient, P/Gs must give their permission; provide 2+ pictures of their child for the website and promotion; supply the child's story details in a brief phone chat with the BAFP Executive Director; promise to provide pics and video of the surprise Friend Mail presentation so we can keep our Ambassadors inspired and promote the BAFP.  That's it!

Question 10

What are the Lancaster's Links?

Accepted Answer

At the bottom of each Recipient's page from "Kolby" forward, is "Lancaster's Link" named after Super Ambassador Teacher, Michelle Lancaster, from Bushland, TX, who suggested a printable PDF to make it easier for educators to "hand out" or pin-up the story for students!

Question 11

Will recipients actually read my letter?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Some recipients quickly read through their entire delivery of in a few days, while others might read just a few at bedtime. Yours WILL be read! :)

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Frequently asked questions