Cheer-Up Campaign

In January 2021, ASEZ members in Indiana, United States, carried out the “Cheer-Up” campaign by delivering letters of gratitude and support kits to Community Hospital North in Indianapolis.

The Cheer-Up Campaign is an activity conducted by ASEZ, the university student volunteer group of the Church of God, to support medical personnel, police officers, firefighters, and public servants working on the front lines of the COVID-19 prevention. Through care packages containing letters and snacks, ASEZ members conveyed heartfelt gratitude and support to them. By October 2021, the campaign had reached approximately 150 institutions in 14 countries, with 11,840 participants taking part in the initiative. (As of October 2021)

After the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEZ has been delivering messages of encouragement to those who quietly work behind the scenes for the safety and well-being of society, such as police officers and firefighters.

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Purpose of the Cheer-Up Campaign

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. That same month, the number of confirmed global cases exceeded 800,000, with deaths surpassing 40,000. In South Korea, nearly 10,000 cases had been confirmed by March, with the majority concentrated in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang regions. As the virus spread at an unprecedented rate, pressure on healthcare systems intensified. Medical personnel, working in exhausting conditions and wearing full-body Level D protective suits, faced extreme physical and mental fatigue—many nearing burnout.

Support for these overburdened frontline healthcare workers became an urgent necessity. The American Psychological Association recommended five ways to manage COVID-19-related anxiety, one of which was to “Keep connected.” Even with limited physical contact, maintaining human connection and sharing emotions can ease stress and alleviate fear. Similarly, a representative of the Korean Psychological Association’s COVID-19 Emergency Task Force remarked, “Just knowing someone is watching over you and cares about you can bring tremendous comfort.”

In response, ASEZ launched the “Cheer-Up” campaign in April 2020 to express appreciation and encouragement to medical staff and related personnel who were risking their lives to protect the public. An ASEZ spokesperson explained: “We asked ourselves what young people like us could do to support the medical professionals, government agencies, and frontline workers dedicating themselves day and night. We believed that heartfelt handwritten letters, shared by students across the country and around the world, could bring them great encouragement. Though simple, a message like “You can do it!” delivered from heart to heart will offer real strength.”

Activity Overview

ASEZ members who participated in the “Cheer-Up” campaign prepared care kits and handwritten letters filled with appreciation and encouragement.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEZ delivered gratitude and support to healthcare workers through the “Cheer-Up” campaign.

The “Cheer-Up” campaign was an initiative by ASEZ, the Church of God University Student Volunteer Group, to convey thanks and encouragement to frontline essential workers—medical staff, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and civil servants—through handwritten letters and thoughtfully prepared care kits. As direct physical connection was limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, these heartfelt letters were accompanied by snacks, vitamins, fruits, and hygiene supplies such as face masks, offering a message of support. Messages of hope and comfort were also extended to those in quarantine.

Activity Highlights

From April 2020 to October 2021, the “Cheer-Up” campaign was conducted in 14 countries—South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Malaysia, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Mozambique—with participation from 11,840 individuals. University students wrote messages such as: “Thank you for being our comfort and smile.” “You’ve become a ray of hope in the dark tunnel—we’ll walk with you holding that flashlight to the end.” “We hope spring warmth returns to the hearts of medical professionals who are tirelessly working for recovery.” “We are grateful to the many heroes who risk their safety to care for those in danger.” The care kits were delivered to health centers, hospitals, community centers, police stations, and fire stations in local communities.

Recipients responded with gratitude. A health center staff member shared, “Reading the letters written by university students made me feel that many people are supporting us behind the scenes. It gave me new strength and a deeper sense of responsibility.” The Director of Dankook University Hospital in Korea sent a letter to ASEZ, stating, “Caring for patients is our duty, but we are deeply grateful for the thoughtful support you’ve extended. I believe it will be a great encouragement to our medical staff who are working with a sense of duty on the frontlines.” On October 26, 2020, the Mayor of Naperville, Illinois, the United States, visited local police and fire stations and thanked ASEZ members who had delivered handwritten letters and essential supplies such as hand sanitizers. He remarked, “Emergency responders face some of the worst situations, yet it’s rare for someone to express appreciation in person. Thank you for creating this opportunity.”

In October 2020, ASEZ members in Peru delivered letters and care kits to Hospital San Jose Callao.

Brazilian media outlet Record TV reported on September 8, 2020, that ASEZ members who visited hospitals in Taguatinga “surprised nearly every department. This wasn’t just a snack— it was a message of comfort and affection that uplifted the lives of frontline healthcare workers.” On January 6, 2021, local station WTHR covered ASEZ’s visit to Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, and the reporter shared, “I hope this kind of beautiful volunteer activity becomes more common in our community.”

Jeong Hun-seon, Chairman of the Andong City Council in Korea, presented a plaque of appreciation to ASEZ members who had delivered handwritten letters and snack kits to public health workers and civil servants. Kim Dong-hae, Vice Chairman of the Gyeongju City Council in Korea, commented, “It’s heartwarming to see young university students unite to encourage medical workers despite living in a time of growing individualism.”

Additionally, ASEZ members delivered handmade face masks to the Inglewood Police Department in California and the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office in Utah, the United States. In Los Angeles, they gifted hand-drawn illustrations to elderly residents in nursing homes, who were experiencing isolation due to visitation restrictions.

See also

• ASEZ (The Church of God University Student Volunteer Group)

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