Buffalo Grove volunteers send handwritten support cards to LGBTQ+ people nationwide

BUFFALO GROVE - At a bagel shop in Buffalo Grove, volunteers wrote heartfelt notes to LGBTQ+ people they’ve never met, hoping a few words on a card could ease a season that often feels isolating.

What we know:

At Original Bagel and Bialy, people gathered around tables with markers and stacks of blank cards, writing messages to LGBTQ+ individuals as part of the Pinta Pride Project, a volunteer-run effort that connects card writers with people who sign up to receive handwritten notes.

The project began four years ago after a local family noticed online posts from LGBTQ+ people saying the holidays can feel difficult and lonely. 

Since then, it has grown into a nationwide campaign. While activity increases during the holiday season, cards are sent year-round. Last year, volunteers mailed more than 50,000 cards across the country.

This holiday season, many of those cards are going to transgender service members whose military careers are now uncertain. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for a Defense Department policy allowing transgender service members to be removed from the military. The policy revives a ban first announced several years ago and previously blocked by courts. 

Supporters say the measure is about military readiness and costs, but medical associations and advocacy groups dispute that.

For Reid Thompson, a transgender Army soldier living in Virginia, the policy has put his future on hold. Thompson has served seven years and once planned to stay in for 20. 

"You can be 15 years in and have five to go, and you don’t have that anymore," he said.

Thompson signed up to receive a card through the Pinta Pride Project in October, unsure whether he should. He said he worried someone else might need the support more. 

The first card arrived before Thanksgiving, followed by more in the weeks after. By December, Thompson had received 36 handwritten cards from people across the country. Some included stickers, drawings or small keepsakes. 

One contained a felt heart labeled a "pocket hug." "So keep it close," the note read, "and know that you are loved."

Thompson said the messages made a difference during a time when support has felt complicated. "I still have family," he said. "They tell me they love me. I’m just not as accepted as I’d like to be."

Another recipient is Col. Bree Fram, the highest-ranking transgender officer in the U.S. armed forces. Like Thompson, she is on administrative leave. 

In a recorded message shared by the project, Fram thanked volunteers, saying their notes have helped lift her and others who have served.

Back in Buffalo Grove, volunteers said the goal is simple: to make sure people know someone is thinking of them. 

Carolyn Pinta, who started the project with her family, said many people want to help but don’t know where to begin. 

"When you give people a clear way to help," she said, "they show up."

What you can do:

People interested in writing a card or receiving one can find information at buffalogrovepride.com.