LetterAgent
Mail physical letters by just asking your AI assistant.
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To mail a letter to a charity, address it to the charity's official mailing address, state your purpose in the first paragraph, and include your contact details and any reference number. For donations, never send cash, and confirm the address on the charity's own website before mailing.
Use the address on the charity's own website, not one from a fundraising letter, a social media post, or a third-party directory. Charities move offices, and old addresses keep circulating for years. Small charities are the riskiest here: a local food bank or shelter may use a volunteer's address, a church office, or a PO box, and mail sent to the wrong one can sit unopened.
Check the charity's registration too. In the United States, registered charities appear in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. In Canada, registered charities appear in the Canada Revenue Agency charities listing. If you cannot find the charity in either listing, that does not prove it is fake, but it does mean donations may not be tax-deductible, and you should ask before giving.
Donation letters, questions about a program, volunteer offers, requests for help, and thank-you notes after receiving support. Each needs a different first paragraph. A donation letter should name the amount, the payment method, and any designation, like a specific program or memorial gift. A question should name the program you are asking about. A volunteer offer should name your availability and skills. Charity staff sort mail by purpose, so a clear first line gets your letter to the right desk.
| Purpose | State up front | Include |
|---|---|---|
| Donation | Amount and payment method | Designation, receipt request, your address |
| Question about a program | The program name | Your contact details and deadline, if any |
| Volunteer offer | Your availability and skills | Background-check consent if asked for |
| Request for help | What you need and by when | Only the details the program asks for |
| Thank-you note | What the charity did | One specific detail, not a long story |
Never send cash through the mail. Cash cannot be traced, cannot be replaced, and can be taken without a trace. Use a cheque, a money order, or the charity's online donation page, and keep your own record. Also avoid sending original documents, like ID cards or medical records, unless the charity has specifically asked for them and explained how they will be stored. Copies are almost always enough for an initial letter.
Be careful with personal details. A letter asking a charity for help may need some sensitive facts, but keep them to what the program actually requires. A general inquiry does not need your full financial history or medical file.
Three questions cover most of it. First, is the charity registered, and can it issue a tax receipt? Second, what share of donations goes to programs versus administration and fundraising? Charities publish this in annual reports, and evasive answers are a warning sign. Third, will your gift be used for the purpose you named, or does the charity pool all donations? A memorial gift or a program-specific gift deserves a direct answer.
For small charities, also ask who handles the mail. A one-person office may take weeks to open donation letters, especially around holidays. If you need a receipt by a tax deadline, say so in the letter and give a phone number or email where they can reach you.
Ask for it in the letter, and give the exact name and address the receipt should carry. Charities issue receipts under the donor's legal name, so a nickname or a spouse's name can cause problems at tax time. If you donated online and are writing to follow up, include the donation date and confirmation number so staff can find your gift quickly.
Yes, for charities in the United States or Canada. Describe the letter to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is printed and mailed in a double-window envelope. One limit to know: LetterAgent prints letters only, with no inserts, so a cheque or money order cannot ride along with a LetterAgent letter. For a donation letter that needs a payment enclosed, use traditional mail with the cheque inside, or donate online and use LetterAgent for the cover letter and designation note.
Ready to mail it? Send your letter with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and it is printed and mailed.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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