For the 11th year, Home Instead’s “Be a Santa to a Senior” program invites the community to provide gifts and cheer to seniors who may be isolated this holiday season. Members of the community can help fulfill a wish list of a local senior citizen through Dec. 17.
For the second consecutive year, along with traditional trees with gift-request ornaments, Home Instead is teaming up with Amazon Business to create a contactless gift-giving experience for volunteers and recipients. Last year, the Home Instead Owensboro office provided gifts to more than 800 local seniors.
“We’ve all experienced feelings of loneliness during the pandemic, and seniors are at a particularly high risk for isolation,” said Stephen Bryson, owner of the Home Instead office serving Daviess, Henderson, Hancock, Ohio, McLean, Webster and Union counties. “Be a Santa to a Senior shows the older adults in our community that they are valued and thought of during the holidays.”
Members of the community can visit BeASantatoaSenior.com and enter their zip code to view Wish Lists for local seniors on Amazon Business through Dec. 17. A personalized greeting can be included with the gift, which will be shipped to Home Instead where it will be safely delivered to the senior.
Individuals can visit one of the participating locations listed below and look for the “Be a Santa to a Senior” tree on display through Dec. 17. 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 unwrapped with a gift bag to the store with the ornament attached.
Trees can be found at the following locations:
- Olive Garden, 5204 Frederica Street, Owensboro
- Walmart, 3151 Leitchfield Road, Owensboro
- Walmart, 5031 Frederica Street, Owensboro
- Everybody Fitness, 1380 US 60 West, Morganfield
- Walmart, 901 US 60 East, Morganfield
Gifts will be delivered to seniors in time for the holidays. Shoppers are encouraged to purchase as many gifts for seniors as they would like. Those who want to be even more involved with helping seniors can visit homeinstead.com/home-care-jobs to learn more about becoming a CAREGiver.
