In 2006, Be a Santa to a Senior volunteers visited a local nursing facility and distributed gifts to a number of residents, including one 87-year-old woman whom we'll call Mary. She was pleased to receive her gift and thanked us profusely, but it wasn't until we returned to give Mary another gift in 2007 that we recognized the true value of Be a Santa to a Senior.
When we entered Mary's room for our second visit, we noticed that the only card on her bulletin board was the Be a Santa to a Senior card from the previous year. As we spoke with her caregivers we found out that our Christmas card and gift were the only items she had received throughout the year. Mary re-read the card regularly to help keep that memory alive.
Each year Home Instead Senior Care® offices throughout North America spread holiday cheer to lonely or financially-challenged seniors through the Be a Santa to a Senior program. The program has attracted upwards of 60,000 volunteers over the past six years distributing gifts to deserving seniors. Since introducing the Be a Santa to a Senior program, Home Instead Senior Care has helped provide 1.2 million gifts to more than 700,000 seniors.
How Be a Santa to a Senior Works
Your Clackamas County Home Instead Senior Care partners with local non-profit and community organizations to identify seniors who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season. Our Clackamas County office then works with local businesses and retail stores to help facilitate the purchase and distribution of gifts by placing trees and ornaments within their various locations. Each senior's gift requests are written on a Be a Santa to a Senior tree ornament. Last year we help collect and deliver over 60 gifts to seniors who would not have had gifts otherwise. We recieved amazing feedback from our seniors and one senior said " I cant believe someone would think of me, I havent recieved a gift in many years, thank you so much" These are the types of moments that make these events so touching and meaningful!
Here's how to help an underserved senior:
- Find the nearest Be a Santa to a Senior tree location by using the form at the top of the page
- Remove an ornament
- Purchase the gift
- Bring ornament and gift back to participating store and give to
store employee.
It's that easy.
Local volunteers collect, wrap, and deliver the gifts to the seniors.
Our Clackamas County program typically begins the first week of November with gift collection taking place through mid-December. Volunteers deliver gifts prior to Christmas.
Find a Tree today and brighten the life of a senior.
If there is not a Be a Santa to a Senior tree in your community, we encourage you to contact an organization in your community dedicated to helping seniors during the holidays.
