There’s something special about getting a letter in the mail. When we can text, DM, or FaceTime anyone instantly, taking the time to sit down, write a note and send it through the mail is old-fashioned but in the best way. A handwritten letter shows that person that you stopped everything else in your day just to connect with them. Living so far from home, writing letters has become one of the ways I stay close to the people I care about most. When I have a moment, I grab a pen, some blank printer paper and write a friend back home something funny or just let them know I’m thinking of them.

Until recently, I just used the basic “Forever” stamps from the post office because that’s what my school offers us. But when I looked at the Post Office website, I saw the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, and it’s changed the way I look at that tiny sticker. The Breast Cancer Research Stamp is what’s called a “semi-postal” stamp, which means it costs a little more but that extra money goes directly toward funding breast cancer research. Specifically, 70% of that money goes to the National Institutes of Health, and 30% goes to the Department of Defense for their breast cancer research programs.

Apparently, this stamp has raised more than $90 million for research. That’s an incredible amount of money generated by something so small that most people (like me) overlook.

What I love about this is that it turns something so ordinary, that we already use, into an act of kindness. Every time you send a letter using one of these stamps, you’re contributing to finding a cure. You’re helping fund research that saves lives. And you’re doing it in a simple, affordable, everyday way.

I think this stamp is an amazing example of how small actions can add up to something much bigger. Not everyone can donate large amounts of money or organize fundraisers, but almost anyone can choose which stamp to buy. It’s a quiet but powerful way to show that you care.

The next time you’re at the post office or ordering stamps online, look for the Breast Cancer Research Stamp. Encourage your parents to keep these stamps in the house. Use it on your thank you cards and birthday cards. It costs just a few cents more but helps fund research that could change someone’s life. Sometimes the smallest gestures, like choosing a stamp, can make the biggest difference.