ONTARIO — Veteran advocates are launching an “Adopt A Soldier” program in Ontario, a project in which people will correspond with soldiers deployed in war and abroad — part of efforts to keep up troop morale.

Veteran Advocates of Ore-Ida say volunteers who join the project will act as pen pals with the soldiers, and may send cards or care packages. Volunteers are asked to correspond with the soldiers for 18 months.

The Argus Observer reports volunteers and soldiers are matched through a series of questions about interests.

“It is an opportunity to support our troops,” said Charlene Pelland, of Veteran Advocates. She said there are safeguards in place to protect the soldier’s privacy as well as the pen pal’s.

A commander wrote in a letter that hearing news from home keeps him going during his tours, Pelland said.

“This will be the third and fourth deployment for some of these soldiers,” she said.