Everyone deserves to enjoy the warmth of the holiday season, and this year, area seniors who are alone or impoverished will be able to do just that.
Sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care office serving LaSalle, Bureau, Putnam and Grundy counties, the Be a Santa to a Senior program provides gifts and companionship for lonely and isolated seniors. The program is made possible by the support of area nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community.
“There are so many seniors, right here in the area who have nothing and no one,” said Christine Schouten, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care office. “Through this program, we are able to show them that they are valuable members of our community and that people still care.”
Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with LaSalle Veteran’s Home, IVCH Adult Day Care, V.A.C. Bureau County Senior Center, Prairie Land Home Care, Bureau County Housing Authority, Putnam County Achievement Center, Community Nutrition Network, Grundy County Health Department Senior Division, Hy-Vee, Sullivan’s Foods, Handy Foods and Jewel to help with the gift collection and distribution.
Participating retail locations will display Be a Santa to a Senior Christmas trees from Nov. 20 to Dec. 7 that feature ornaments with seniors’ first names and their gift requests. Holiday shoppers can pick ornaments from the trees, buy the items listed and return them unwrapped (and with the ornament attached) to the store.
Program partners and volunteers will take care of wrapping and distributing the gifts to local seniors who might otherwise spend the holiday alone.
“We have seen, firsthand, how much this program means to local seniors,” said Schouten. “Without it, there would be seniors for whom the holidays would pass without even a visit.”
You can find a Be A Santa To a Senior tree at the following locations:
• Hy-Vee, 1651 Midtown Road, Peru
• Sullivan’s Foods, 125 Backbone Road East, Princeton
• Handy Foods, 604 W, Main, Ottawa
• Jewel, 1414 N. Division St, Morris
• Wrapping parties: Tuesday, Dec. 15, and Thursday, Dec. 17, at 10 a.m., Peru Mall IVCH room, Tai Chi Group wraps the gifts.
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 815-223-7970.