Semi-Postal Stamp to Fight Alzheimer’s

Remember this poignant stamp issued by the U.S. Post Office a few years ago? It was only a commemorative stamp, but I used it on most of my correspondence at the time.

Turns out that didn’t help raise money to fight Alzheimer’s Disease, and it’s no longer available.

Whereas this familiar Breast Cancer Research Stamp has raised $80 million. What’s the difference? It’s a semi-postal stamp. It sells for a little more than the going rate for postage, and the extra funds support whichever charity it represents.

Linda Everman, whose husband died in March after living with Alzheimer’s for 14 years, has made a personal campaign of writing letters, urging lawmakers and other advocates to join her in asking the postal service to reissue the stamp, as a semipostal. Paula Spencer Scott, Senior Editor at caring.com, wrote this article in April: “Time for Another Alzheimer’s Stamp?”

This morning I took a few minutes to send email letters to my Congressmen. It’s pretty easy to do. Simply look up their contact information here, and write a short paragraph asking them to support the bills that would re-issue the stamp and start to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. I’ll make it easy for you. Feel free to cut and paste my letters into the forms for your own Representatives and Senators, deleting or changing the highlighted lines of personal information.

Sample Letter to your Representatives:

Please consider co-sponsoring House Resolution 351, which would reissue the Alzheimer’s stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in October 2008. The Breast Cancer research stamp (semipostal) has raised $80 million. Designed by Maryland art director Ethel Kessler, who designed the Breast Cancer Research stamp, and illustrator Matt Mahurin, the stamp pays tribute to some 11 million American caregivers, featuring an elderly woman in silhouette, a comforting hand on her shoulder. Resolutions for a fundraising stamp have been introduced in the House (Res. 351) and the Senate (Res. 176), but if they don’t get enough co-sponsors, they will die in committee. This is the fourth time we have gotten this far since 1999, and still no stamp. Each time it gets harder to accomplish even the introduction. My mother has Alzheimer’s, as did her mother, so I’m “third generation” in line for this dreaded disease. Please help get this bill passed. It’s too late for my grandmother and my mother, but maybe not too late for my children, who may be caring for me in a few years. Thank you.

Sample Letter to your Senators:

Please consider co-sponsoring Senate Resolution 176, which would reissue the Alzheimer’s stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in October 2008. The Breast Cancer research stamp (semipostal) has raised $80 million. Designed by Maryland art director Ethel Kessler, who designed the Breast Cancer Research stamp, and illustrator Matt Mahurin, the stamp pays tribute to some 11 million American caregivers, featuring an elderly woman in silhouette, a comforting hand on her shoulder. Resolutions for a fundraising stamp have been introduced in the House (Res. 351) and the Senate (Res. 176), but if they don’t get enough co-sponsors, they will die in committee. This is the fourth time we have gotten this far since 1999, and still no stamp. Each time it gets harder to accomplish even the introduction. My mother has Alzheimer’s, as did her mother, so I’m “third generation” in line for this dreaded disease. Please help get this bill passed. It’s too late for my grandmother and my mother, but maybe not too late for my children, who may be caring for me in a few years. Thank you.