Our Mission

We believe in the power of a smile. Through handwritten letters of support, our goal is to lift the spirits of cancer patients in the Santa Barbara community and remind them of the those who support them from close and far!

From the Founder

Hello! My name is Kendall Kopeikin and I founded Sending Smiles because I realized how much of an impact spreading kindness can truly have. Ever since I was little, my mother always reminded me that the power of a handwritten letter is immeasurable. In today’s world, we are all so used to sending a text on our brightly lit screens rather than writing a letter and mailing it to our loved ones. While texts are definitely useful, I believe that the power and love that comes in a handwritten letter is truly special, and I want to keep the art alive while spreading the love. After all, who doesn’t get excited when they receive a letter in the mail?!

As a teenager, kid, or even adult, it can be hard to find easy and simple community service acts where you know your work is making a real and noticeable difference. At Sending Smiles, we redefine what community service looks like. Whether you have 10 minutes or 10 hours, you can make a difference. With every letter you write, you will be giving a cancer patient a smile and the warm feeling of support.

When I was little, my mom battled breast cancer, and bravely won her fight. My aunt unfortunately passed away from metastatic breast cancer, and her kindness and determination throughout her battle inspires our team daily. When you look at our logo, you will see a pink ribbon stamp to represent breast cancer and the amazing women in my life who bravely battled the illness. Next to the pink ribbon, you will see a lavender ribbon, which represents all kinds of cancers. My goal is to honor my family and spread the love to everyone battling this terrible illness. While you or I might not know the cure for cancer right now, we can offer the best medicine, a smile.

Whether you can write one letter, fifty letters, own a business where we could advertise or leave supplies for customers, host a letter writing party, donate, or simply spread the word about our organization, every bit of your help is what keeps us going. We are all in this together, so please join me in reminding those battling cancer that we see, support, and love them! :)