100 Ways to Share a Card
Click the icons to see how our community members share cards.
Places
Restaurants
- I like to stick one in with my signed receipt at a restaurant after my card has been charged.
- Give one to the waiter who serves you.
- We have a restaurant and put them out like business cards. It always makes my day when someone takes a couple and says I know just who to give these to.
- Tuck the card into the bill folder at a restaurant to surprise the wait staff.
- To share a You Matter card in person, I’ve slipped them under a copy of a receipt or in with my tip at restaurants. I have a (very) small business and occasionally slide cards in with orders before sending them out or personally mailing them! I love sharing them anonymously by sliding a card under a windshield wiper in parking lots, so long as it’s not supposed to rain! My favorite way to share them would be doing it anonymously; I just graduated college and would leave cards under windshield wipers or leave one on a dorm room whiteboard with a magnet and I love hoping that I made someone’s day with it!
- I worked as a waitress. Put one on their tray to be taken out with their order.
- I have shared a You Matter Card with servers at restaurants with their tip. On World Kindness Day, I bought ten lottery tickets and put them in a small zip lock bag with a note and a lottery ticket and put them all over town such as on a graffiti board, outside the post office, on art statues downtown, near the homeless shelter. etc. so random people would find them and brighten their day. I place a card in envelopes when I mail cards or bills. I have left them in places where someone might find one and feel hopeful such as an elevator, desk clerk of a hotel, and in a bathroom stall.
Library
- Put some in books at the library or bookstores as a bookmark.
Store checkout
- Leave one on a counter near a register.
- I like to hand a You Matter card to a cashier who seems especially stressed when I leave the grocery line I also like to give cards to an older person as I take their grocery cart back for them.
- Put one in someone’s shopping basket while they aren’t looking.
- I also love to share cards with mothers who are shopping with children. I especially love to find the mothers who are coping well with children who are tired or unhappy. I want them to know they are seen and they matter.
- My favorite way to share a card is by hiding it somewhere so someone can come across it and be surprised! For example, right by the self-checkout at the grocery store.
- At Christmas time I hand them to bell-ringers for the Salvation Army. I donate, and hand them a card, as I leave a store. Once, as I was on my way in, the bell-ringer recognized me from a different location as the person who’d given him a card. I have to say, that totally made my day!
I’ve also had many cashiers tell me I made their day when I hand them one with my money.
Office
- I left a card in my dentist’s waiting room on chair. Almost a year later, my mother just texted me recently a picture of that card she found there – not knowing I had put it there! She just thought I would like to see it. We both had a good laugh when I told her…attached is the picture.
- I left one on the counter at my MD’s office for the next person to pick up.
- Put a card into the free drawing box in offices with a little note to say thank you for services.
Schools
- I’ve shared it with students as I am walking down the hallways.
- Add a card when paying bills, put into change return on campus vending machines, hand out a card when helping someone pay for the rest of their groceries, hand out cards when greeting at church, tape cards to granola bars that our students can enjoy.
- In school I have passed them on to administration, teachers, students , bus drivers and parents just to say thanks or if they need a little smile 🙂
- I hand them to my students especially when they are really having a hard time.
- I gave each of my students a card and told them to surprise someone with it. The next day we all shared who we gave our card to: students had great ideas, too!
- When I rode the bus, I would quietly give one – with a smile, to someone while I was exiting the bus and say have a beautiful day! Even if it was gloomy weather.
- The crossing guards near the schools who keep our children safe seem to appreciate a card and sometimes a little treat to go with it.
Gas stations
- An anonymous way to give out YM cards is to place them in the card reader at the gas pump!
- Gas station credit card holder.
Drive-thru
- I love sharing my You Matter cards at the grocery store and a drive thru fast food place. Most cases especially lately everything and everywhere is a waiting time regardless of how small your order is. You Matter cards instantly put a smile on the person’s face and it seems as if the card gives them a burst of energy when they see the card! I always remind them to share it with someone else if they want to and most always say. I want to keep it. So I then give them a second one to share with someone else. I know how it feels to want to keep it because I have one taped to my mirror for the daily reminder that I DO MATTER AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE!
- Paying for the person behind me at the drive-through and asking the cashier to include a YM card with their order.
Mailbox
- A card in the box where our mailman leaves our mail is nice, and if a package is being picked up or delivered, I like to leave a card on the package, or in the spot they will drop off the package.
- Leave one in your post office box or mailbox for your carrier.
- In your mailbox for your mailman.
- I left one in my mailbox for the mail person – with a note of appreciation.
Cars
- When I returned a rental car, I put one in the glove compartment and in the visor over the drivers’ seat.
- I also like to leave them with encouraging quotes on the windshield of someone’s car.
- Whenever the “spirit” moves me!! Yesterday, I left a card in a car window of a woman from out-of-state who was struggling to find something in her car. When she went into the store, before I left, I tucked one under the rubber edge of the door frame so that she would see it when she returned to her car! She REALLY needed those two important words!!!
Nature
- I’ve left them at the beach by the wooden poles.
- When I hike at my local State Park, there is a small turnout/rest area with a picnic table that leads to other trails or you can stay on the paved fire road. There is a small tree directly behind the picnic table that has a built-in sharp ‘hanger’ that I can just pop a You Matter card onto. It is very visible; then I put it out to the Universe that whomever needs to see this message, please let them be the one to come across this card.
- I share You Matter cards at the local urban trails. If I see someone who appears to be a new walker or runner, I will tell them “Good Job.” Handing them a You Matter card many times brings a smile to their face. If they share their first name, I make a point to remember it. Next time I see them there I say hi and call them by their name.
Mirror
- I put them on my daughters bathroom mirror.
- I like to share a card anonymously in public areas like restrooms. I typically leave it stuck to the mirror. I like this so it can hopefully brighten multiple people’s day.
Random places
- Leaving them on the doors in random places – Walmart, Target, Lowes, etc.
- I have made smiles from Pennies outside on the sidewalk at our park and placed the card in the middle for someone to find.
- In a stroller parked at the zoo.
- At the laundromat near the place to sit and wait.
- Hide it at your next hotel or Air BNB stay when you are leaving.
- On the airplane on the seat when I get up.
People
People who are homeless
- I keep 2 You Matter cards with $1.00 to give to homeless people on street corners.
- Occasionally, I will see someone asleep on the sidewalk or on a bench and I will quietly drop a card next to them so they find it when they wake up.
- I am in a ghetto of poor people that have needs and also are homeless. I wanted to share these to help them feel better to get their hopes up to try and enable their lives.
- I give the cards to the passersby our house. Many are homeless and need a word of comfort.
Hospital workers
- I have been in hospitals and induction centers and have given them in passing to patients, nurses, doctors, important staff that may not be recognized (cafeteria, janitors, volunteers).
Everyday workers
- I like sharing the cards to unexpected everyday heroes, mainly frontliners during the pandemic: grocery store workers, retail clerks, gas station attendants, post carriers. I love when they give a smile back.
- I shared one with a housekeeping staff member at a hotel as well as the person responsible for the complimentary breakfast.
- We have a cleaner come in once a month and I gave her a card! She was elated! So give a card to your home cleaner!
- Another favorite thing I do is going to events, like concerts, plays, community events, I hand the card as I’m leaving the restroom to the person cleaning, or the guy in the parking lot who’s directing traffic, or the people cleaning up the trash or helping people. Most especially to the folks at the information areas that get to deal with the upset customers. I very stealthily lay a card at their computer, or by their flashlight, etc. Sometimes it’s necessary to just hand it to them, but I do it as I’m walking by.
- Gave one to my Massage Therapist.
- Gave one to my Pest Control service person.
- Gave one to my dog groomer.
- Garbage collectors.
- The people working the polls on election day.
- Vet and vet technician.
- Give one to the Barista who makes your favorite coffee.
- I’m a delivery driver. There are many, many gated communities in our area. I give You Matter cards to the gate guards.
Police & firefighters
- I have given them to police officers and I’d say I appreciate you for all you do, then walk away.
- Take some to your local Fire Department (especially important to me this week as our Assistant Fire Chief was murdered on Saturday evening when he was hit by crossfire between two street racers who fired into his truck).
- Take some to your Police Department.
- At your local police station by their “call” button or at the service counter.
Friends & family
- Anonymously in the mail to a friend (add their address on the return address part).
- I send you matter cards in emails, and like when I mail out cards I drop them in the inside of the card so it will be seen and not left in the envelope.
- One year I included three cards with every Christmas card that I sent. I suggested that the person keep one and share the other two. I received several thank yous for this and some of the people told me they were going to join up next time.
- I put cards in my husband, Grandkids and others’ lunch boxes during school.
- I make baked goods and deliver them to people and on the bottom of the plate I tape a You Matter card. Then when they finish the goodies, they will find the card on the bottom.
In need of a 'pick-me-up'
- I give cards to people who are having a bad day or to friends that may need a pick me up. I have also shared them with family members during times of bereavement.
- Giving a You Matter card to someone having a bad day.
- I especially like to hand one to a stranger who seems to need a smile. When they turn it over and read it they always seem to smile.
- When I see someone who looks like they’re having a tough time and could use a boost.
- Put them inside of books you return to the library.
Others
- I put them in mini gift packets for men and women who have been through sexual abuse or other trauma/mental illness. I then give the packets to therapists to give to clients.
- Just wanted to let you know that I’m sending out the free you matter cards I received to people who buy second hand clothing and shoes from me. You never know when someone needs to know that they matter.
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