The holiday season is also the season of giving and a time to share smiles with those around you. As you gather to drink hot cocoa and sing carols with family and friends, it’s important to remember there are seniors in your community who would love to celebrate, too. However, many seniors live alone, without someone to share this special time.
Home Instead Senior Care® is offering the Goodyear community a chance to spread joy to local seniors. Through the Be a Santa to a Senior® program, community members can give a senior a special holiday gift. Since the program’s inception in 2003, the Be a Santa to a Senior® program has mobilized more than 60,000 volunteers, provided approximately 1.2 million gifts and brightened the season for more than 700,000 deserving seniors nationwide.
“The Be a Santa to a Senior program is all about including seniors in the joy of the holiday season,” said Blair Sapeta, owner of the Goodyear Home Instead Senior Care office. “A simple gift shows them they are a loved and vital member of our community.”
Be a Santa to a Senior is a true community program, with generous support from area businesses, nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers, and members of the community. The Home Instead Senior Care office serving Goodyear has partnered with Edward Jones Village Inn, Palm Gate RV & Self Storage, and Meals of Joy to help with gift collection and distribution.
It’s easy to help. Visit one of the participating locations listed below and look for the Be a Santa to a Senior tree on display from Nov. 11 to Dec. 27. Each tree will be decorated with ornaments featuring seniors’ first names and gift suggestions. Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, buy the requested gift and return it to the store with the ornament attached. There’s no need to worry about wrapping — community volunteers and program partners will wrap and deliver the gifts to local seniors in time for the holidays.
“While it may seem like a small act of kindness, it can really make a difference for someone this holiday season,” said Sapeta. “Watching seniors open the gifts they received through Be a Santa to a Senior and seeing the smiles and appreciation on their faces is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.”
Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at the following locations:
Edward Jones, 1650 N Dysart Rd, Suite 3, Goodyear
Home Instead Senior Care, 250 N Litchfield Rd Suite 161 A, Goodyear
Meals of Joy, 501 E Plaza Cir, Litchfield Park
Village Inn, 2700 N Litchfield Rd, Goodyear
Palm Gate RV & Self Storage,14050 W Van Buren Street, Goodyear.
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 623-777-3637.
For more information about how you can help seniors in your community, visit imreadytocare.com.