Postal Service for the Dead

Postal Service for the Dead is an ongoing, collective project where people send letters to anyone in their life who has died. Birthdays, death days, anniversaries, holidays, or seemingly random days can all spark grief. Writing letters to those who have died has always been a powerful tool, but we felt something was missing – the physicality of stamping and mailing it out. So, we invite you to write a letter that helps your healing journey. Not all grief looks the same and neither will the letters. You can submit a letter of gratitude for how they impacted your life or a list of grievances that you still hold towards them – use this space to say whatever. Inspired by PostSecret, we started this project to help folks heal through writing, the power of snail mail, and shared grief experiences.

To see a selection of letters please visit our archive or follow us on Instagram & Facebook. Sign up for Sleepy Sue’s newsletter to in the loop on all things PSD.

How to Participate

Anyone can submit a letter. To participate, address your letters to Sleepy Sue Studio and please mark your letter with the privacy symbol system listed below before sending:

Sleepy Sue Studio
PO BOX 31412
Los Angeles, CA
90031

  • Option 1 – Blank: Do not read. If you do not want our team to read your letter, please leave the backside of the envelope blank.

  • Option 2 – Heart: Read my letter but do not share. If you would like our team to read your letter but do not want the contents shared publicly, please mark the back of your envelope with a heart.

  • Option 3 – Star: You can open my letter and share. If you agree to share your letter publicly, which includes digital platforms such as our Instagram, please include a star on the backside of your envelope. We invite you to write freely and any mentioned names will be censored for anonymity before sharing. By sharing the letters, we hope to normalize the full range of emotions and experiences that go alongside death, dying, and grieving.

FAQ

  • This project began in November 2022 and is ongoing until further notice.

  • Every letter will be received by the Sleepy Sue team and you decide what happens next according to the symbol system listed above. Depending on the privacy permissions indicated by the symbol we open, read, and share the letters. We also digitize the letters and keep the originals in an archival grade box.

  • Click HERE for letter writing prompts and resources.

  • To see a selection of letters please visit our archive or follow us on Instagram & Facebook. Sign up for Sleepy Sue’s newsletter to stay tuned for more ways to view the letters in person.

  • At this time, the best way to support Postal Service for the Dead is to share this resource with anyone who it might benefit! You can do that by sharing our social media or purchasing merchandise HERE.

Have you seen our merch?

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Have you seen our merch? ★