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 once again offering the Pasadena area 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 2.1 million gifts and brightened the season for more than 700,000 deserving seniors nationwide. This the office’s 2nd year supporting the program. Last year more than 100 local seniors received gifts through the program. This year they are aiming to triple that amount!
“The Be a Santa to a Senior program is all about including seniors in the joy of the holiday season,” said Greg Sanchez Jr., PhD., owner of Pasadena Home Instead Senior Care. “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, getting generous support from local businesses, nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community. The local Home Instead Senior Care office has partnered with local nonprofits to help with gift collection and distribution. This year they are proud to partner with BRYAN’S Cleaners & Laundry, a Pasadena institution within the community since 1938!
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 November 25 to December 16. 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 Sanchez. “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:
* Home Instead Senior Care Pasadena – 200 E Del Mar Blvd Suite 350, Pasadena CA 91105
* Bryan’s Cleaners & Laundry – 544 S Arroyo Pkwy, Pasadena, CA 91105
* Bryan’s Cleaners & Laundry – 2336 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001
* Bryan’s Cleaners & Laundry – 2446 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91117
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call (626) 486-0800.
For more information about how you can help seniors in your community, visit imreadytocare.com.