As the community prepares to celebrate the season of giving, Home Instead® encourages residents of Cupertino up to Belmont to share the holiday spirit with older adults who may not have family and feel alone. Through Be a Santa to a Senior®, community members can give a special holiday gift to an older adult who may otherwise go without.
“A simple gift can bring such joy to older adults who may not have loved ones to celebrate with,” said Ian Hamilton, owner of the Sunnyvale Home Instead office. “Through Be a Santa to a Senior, we can help them feel the holiday spirit.”
Program coordinators hope to collect 600 gifts for 300 local older adults. This is the program’s 15th year in the area.
To participate, shoppers can purchase a gift for a local senior from the virtual wish list which can be found on the Home Instead website. Gifts can be purchased from the wish list from Nov. 14 to Dec. 14, and the gifts will be delivered to local older adults in time for the holidays.
“This program is so much more than gift-giving – it’s about the special moments and joy shared between the older adults and the community around them,” said Hamilton. “There is nothing better than seeing the smile on an older adult’s face when they open their gift.”
Be a Santa to a Senior is a true community program, with support from local businesses, nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers, and members of the community. The Home Instead office serving Cupertino up to Belmont has partnered with First Republic Bank, Cisco Systems, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati to help with gift collection and distribution.
Since the program’s inception in 2003, Be a Santa to a Senior has mobilized more than 65,000 volunteers, provided approximately 2.2 million gifts, and brightened the season for more than 750,000 deserving older adults nationwide. For more information visit the Be a Santa to a Senior website or call (650) 691-9671.
To learn more about helping older adults in the area, visit imreadytocare.com.
