OCNews

A new initiative from an Okanagan College staff member is not only stamping out quarantine blues, but raising funds for much-needed mental health resources.

Katie Maryschuk works in the Public Affairs department, tasked with updating the Okanagan community about news and events happening at the College. In her spare time, she collaborates on creative projects with two friends, and the trio had been discussing earlier this year new ways of sharing their work with the online community.

That’s when the idea struck of how she could marry a few of her passions – photography, design and old-school communication – to create a positive in the dark times of quarantine.

“I love snail mail. It’s so fun to write something to someone, even if it’s just something short and sweet,” explains Maryschuk with a laugh. “And I have all these photos from my travels that I thought maybe I could do something with them.”

With the help of family members, Maryschuk selected over a dozen photos from her travels to New York, Santa Monica, Montreal, Mexico and Vancouver locations. Her blog companions encouraged her to add text to give the images more of a post-card feel, so she spent some time designing cards with inspiring and hopeful messages like “We’re in this together,” and “This too shall pass.”

She launched an online store with two different layouts, a colour-block and type series. People can purchase packs of 5 postcards, and there’s an option to donate funds to the Canadian Mental Health Association – a cause that really hits home for Maryschuk, who has dealt with mental health challenges in the past.

“Where I was this time last year feels very different, and that’s really what is driving this. I’m grateful that I have the support of my family, having a meal together at night, and having a foundation that frees up time for self-care,” she says. “Having that support system is such a blessing. It’s so important to have community. We’re not supposed to process this stuff alone, and even having small supports from organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association can make a big difference.”

Once the shop was online, she started sharing the Postcard Project on social media. She has already received a flurry of orders, and raised $500 for the Canadian Mental Health Association in just one week. Now she is working with a local supplier, Source Graphics, to get customers their postcards. 

It’s the stories that people are sharing, though, that are propelling Maryschuk forward. One customer from Saskatoon, who she has never met, shared that she was working as a social worker in a hospital and could see the dire need for mental health resources right now on the frontline.

“It’s been phenomenal. I have been blown out of the water by everyone’s reactions. I feel like people understand the mission and cause, and that’s so encouraging,” she says. “This is a gamble and you never know how it will pan out. But I think it speaks to the power of social media and using that tool for good. I know people are having to limit their social media exposure these days, but this is my way to try using it for good.”

People interested in learning about the Postcard Project can visit the shop online.