To have your volunteer hours validated, please email us with the following attached:

• Submission Form (this is an exit form that can be found in your "Welcome to With a Thousand Cranes" email or can be downloaded from the following link: https://www.withathousandcranes.com/submission-exit-form)

• Proof of participation (e.g., photos/videos/logs, please consult our website or check the Welcome message for details)

• Volunteer form that you need signed (if you have asked for a certificate of completion, you do not have to attach a volunteer form)

If you are an in-area participant, please follow the process below to arrange a contact-less drop-off:

1. Visit the following link and sign up for a 15-minute block where you would come drop off your completed project: https://www.withathousandcranes.com/project-submissions

2. Within your block, arrive at the residential address and leave the origami cranes at the doorstep. Please do not ring the doorbell. Make sure that if there are only a few cranes, that they do not fly off and are weighed down in some manner: Neighbours would not appreciate flying origami cranes.

3. After completing your drop-off, text 437-262-7450 with the following, "FIRST NAME, LAST NAME - PROJECT SUBMITTED".

4. That is it! You have completed the drop-off. You will not receive a confirmation message via text.

If you are an out-of-area participant, please find the FAQ in the list below with instructions for such scenarios.

With a Thousand Cranes is an initiative aimed at creating hope, belonging, and connection amongst both receivers and volunteers. According to Japanese legend, folding a thousand paper cranes brings a person happiness and good luck. In some versions of the story, the person may be granted a wish by the gods. Gifting these cranes to an ill person is considered a symbol of compassion and a wish for their recovery.

Our volunteers are working toward a collective goal – to make a thousand cranes for someone in need. We hope that by donating this gift, the receiver feels loved and acknowledged. There are many charities that raise funds, but sometimes that is not enough. We need to look holistically at a person’s situation. Human beings strive on belonging and connection. In certain times of our lives though, this may become difficult. We hope that whenever the receiver looks at this gift, he or she knows that there is someone out there who cares. We hope that the receiver can feel connected with the community.

As for the volunteers, each member is collaborating to achieve this goal. Whether volunteers work individually, or work in teams with their friends and family, each person is important. We hope volunteers have a fun time in the process!

We will be donating every year (typically December-end) to different groups such as paediatric patients, the elderly in old age homes, and people in mental health facilities amongst others.

Our first donation has gone to Credit Valley Hospital's mental health facility. The origami crane sets were received by recent suicide survivors and those suffering with mental health issues. Our second donation went to the eldery in a local long-term care home to help spread a sense of love amongst those that may feel isolated. Our third donation went to the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, specifically to children and adolescents experiencing addictions and mental health concerns.

There is no age limit. Everyone can participate!

Yes, you may. As an out-of-area participant, you will have the following two choices:

1. Mail the origami cranes to us

The following is the address that will be used at this time:

682 Courtney Valley Road

Mississauga, Ontario

L5V 0C3, Canada

2. Donate in your hometown

As an alternative, we encourage out-of-area and international participants to complete the donation of the cranes in their home state. This is because shipping can be expensive for our volunteers. So, if you have a place in mind that you can donate to (e.g. elderly in old age homes, cancer survivor/patients, pediatric patients etc.), you can complete the donation in your home state. However, prior to your donation, please inform us of where the cranes will be going for logistical purposes.

You don’t necessarily have to make a thousand cranes to participate. For instance, you may choose to make 200. We will assign volunteer hours (if required) accordingly. It would be desirable if you can team up to create a thousand. It really gives a sense of achievement! Otherwise, we will try and find more cranes that we can use to complete your thousand.

Absolutely. While the traditional Japanese legend requires one individual to make a thousand cranes, we recognize the sheer amount of time that would be involved in this. Making a team is a fun way to reach this goal. We would encourage collaboration because it would help the volunteer develop a sense of belonging too.

You can go to the Get Involved page on our website.

Absolutely! Once you have completed your cranes, we will sign your hours. You don’t necessarily have to complete all thousand cranes. For instance, you may only choose to do 500. We will give you volunteer hours accordingly! Also, if you have worked in teams, we would allocate hours based on your specific contribution. Please note, for us to ensure that you have, in fact, completed the volunteer hours yourself, we request photos or a video showing your involvement. The purpose is simply to supervise and sign off on your hours.

Everyone makes origami cranes at different rates. It includes many factors such as the type of paper you use. Also, not everyone would each make a thousand cranes. Your hours would be allocated based on the number of cranes you have made and the time you have spent. Generally, we assume that it took 3.5 minutes to complete an origami crane. This means for 1000 cranes, the participant would receive about 58 volunteer hours. We take the word of our volunteers in hopes that our volunteers themselves let us know how much time they have truly dedicated, whether that be less or more than our estimate.

Participants who want to get signed volunteer hours from this activity must provide proof of involvement. We suggest taking a picture/short video every 100 cranes or so. Also keep a log of the days you worked on the cranes and the number of cranes you made in each session. These steps would help us supervise the activity and confirm your involvement.

Please note that reference letters are not the same as supervisor reviews. Supervisor reviews are completed with no restrictions.

Reference letters are issued upon request. We typically assess the significance of your contribution to the project and determine whether it would be appropriate to write a reference.

If you would like a recommendation letter, please email us with the following details:

A. Resume or Curriculum Vitae

B. Your Role within the Project (e.g. I led x students to complete y cranes. I did a and b…)

C. Who the recommendation should be addressed to (if there is no one in particular, we will address the letter to a generic person i.e. To whom it may concern)

D. If the recommendation is for a university or college program, please indicate to us the following:

- Name of the Institution

- Name of the Program

- Expected Graduation Date

E. General areas of strength where you would like us to focus

After we receive this email, we will review your participation and determine if writing a reference would be appropriate. If so, we will issue a letter. If not, we will indicate our reasoning and let you know promptly.

You have whatever time it takes. Some people can do it in a week. Some people do it in a year. We hope that when you join us, you can provide a rough timeline in which you would complete the activity. This would allow us to keep a general idea of the project logistics.

Please refer to our website’s origami crane tutorial page. Alternatively, there are many YouTube videos you can browse! If you are still having difficulty, please contact us and we can help you!

Paper is the key word here! But it can be any type of paper; it doesn’t necessarily have to be origami paper. You can use normal white sheets, lined paper, newspaper, construction paper, certain types of wrapping paper etc. Scrap paper works too! You can use a mix of all these as well. Just remember, you need to have enough paper to create a thousand cranes. You want to ensure that the paper folds well. As a side note, don’t use money (in case you had any such ideas). Your parents would not be happy!

Earlier, we would not be picky with sizes. However, with the significant influx of volunteers, we have decided to reduce the size of the origami cranes to manage volumes. The current size limit is origami cranes made from paper of 3 inches by 3 inches or smaller (e.g. cranes from 4x4-inch paper would be unacceptable).

Currently, we are not handing out paper to our volunteers, but we may do so in the future. Note that you can use any form of paper to complete the project. You can use normal white sheets, lined paper, newspaper, construction paper, certain types of wrapping paper, random scraps etc. You can use a mix of all these too.

Absolutely! Not everyone is good at everything. But to be interested in this project is a sign of your affection for others. That is all we need. Your cranes don’t have to be the most intricate thing you have ever done! Your intention is most important here. If you can sort of do it, that’s good enough for us!

Anywhere! You can work on it at home, during breaks, and even in the washroom!

Sometimes, volunteers have a cause that they are specifically passionate about. For instance, if you wish to provide the cranes to cancer survivors in specific, you can do so! We would ask that you indicate this to us when you provide the completed cranes. If a thousand have been completed, we will try and coordinate with your desired group and let you know the outcome!

Note that you can use any sort of paper to complete the project. This can be scrap paper too or a mix of whatever you find. Look around for old newspapers, magazines, post-it notes, notebook pages etc. Ask your friends and family if they have any paper lying around!

We like to call our volunteers THE WINGS because our project could not fly without any wings. Each wing is important. You can get involved by spreading awareness, promoting within your community, organizing teams, and donating!

Please email us at withathousandcranes@gmail.com.