Welcome In!

Notes To Neighbors is a pen pal service that matches you with someone in your neighborhood — no address neeeded.

Instead of using the USPS, you drop off and pick up your letters at a place like a local coffee shop or indie bookstore - this way you don’t have to share your address. For the next 7 weeks, you’ll get to know a new person in a fun and unconventional way, and at the end, you’ll finally meet your pen pal and the rest of your neighbors IRL.

Your letter pick up & drop off location:

Der Pioneer in Kensington, Brooklyn

Owners Björn Böttcher (head pastry chef) and Greg Barbiero

Registration Closed

How it works

  1. You fill out a short form to tell us a little about yourself and pay $22 to participate. You must be 21+ to become a pen pal.

  2. We send you an email with the first name and last initial of your randomly matched pen pal (ex Jane D) and some fun facts about them.

  3. From April 26th to June 14th, you’ll receive 1 letter and send 1 letter by every Saturday. Don’t worry, we’ll remind you of the deadlines.

  4. In June, we’ll gather at Der Pioneer so you finally get to meet your pen pal and neighbors IRL.

Become a Pen Pal

Please email us at NotesToNeighbors@gmail.com if cost prohibits you from participating. We have set aside a small number of free spots so that all of our neighbors can have a chance to participate.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No, we do not share your address and we only tell them your first name and last initial (ie Jane D).

  • Email us at NotesToNeighbors@gmail.com and we’ll contact your pen pal to see what’s up.

  • Email us at NotesToNeighbors@gmail.com and we’ll let your pen pal know. If it’s possible, you should tell your pen pal in your letter.

  • You can make one yourself! You can make an envelope with any piece of paper if you first fold it into thirds, then fold the bottom third towards the center to make the pocket where the letter goes, then tape the sides together. 

  • Yes, you can still participate! What matters is that you can reliably commute to the letter pick up/drop off location by the deadlines.