(TAMPA, FL. – Oct. 29, 2018) – The holidays are all about kids, but when it comes down to it, no one wants to be forgotten when it comes to Christmas – even senior citizens, who often go unnoticed and forgotten during the holidays.
That’s why the Be a Santa to a Senior® community program provides gifts and companionship to seniors – often isolated from friends or family during the holiday season.
“The holidays can be a lonely and isolating for seniors,” said Kristi Campbell, owner of the Tampa and Brandon Home Instead Senior Care offices. Florida has one of the highest rates of senior citizens, and often these citizens live far away from their families. They may feel the absence or the distance of loved ones.”
““Be a Santa to a Senior provides a ray of hope for many seniors, and it means so much for them to know that people care and value them as members of our community,” said Campbell.
In the past several years, the Hillsborough Be a Santa to a Senior program has given out between 800-1,100 gift bags to seniors. Recently authorized as a 501-3c nonprofit, the charitable arm of these Home Instead franchises, is now poised to help seniors more than ever with its recent status.
“Be a Santa to a Senior provides a much-needed boost for seniors who may be isolated, not just through gifts, but through interaction and companionship,” said Campbell. “We have seen, firsthand, how much this program means to local seniors. Without it, there would be seniors for whom the holidays would pass without even a visit.”
The Be A Santa to a Senior program will deliver trees and ornament gift tags with information about specific seniors, at six stores in Hillsborough County.
Santa’s “elves” will collect all of those toys and sort them and put them into cheery holiday gift bags for each senior with a blanket, socks, lotion, body wash, word puzzles, slippers and clothes (sizes are included on tags), as well as personalized items such as stationery with butterflies, horses or their individual preferences. The men’s holiday bags may include dominoes or baseball items and the women’s may include costume jewelry or baby dolls.
How to help:
Participating locations will display Be a Santa to a Senior trees starting Nov. 1 through Dec. 12. Trees will have ornaments featuring seniors’ first names and their desired gifts.
Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, buy the requested gift and return it back to the store with the ornament attached. No need to wrap the presents.
Community volunteers and program partners will deliver the gifts to local seniors in time for the holidays.
Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at the following locations and Beall’s Outlets in Riverview, Plant City, Sun City Center, Tampa Palms and Valrico.
Trees Are Located At:
Famous Tate 8317 N Armenia Ave, Tampa FL 33604
Famous Tate 1015 E Brandon Blvd, Brandon F, 33511
Famous Tate 3347 Henderson Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609
Shapes Fitness for Women 731 W Lumsden Rd, Brandon, FL 33511
Shapes Fitness for Women 11357 Bid Bend Rd, Riverview, FL 33579
Shapes Fitness for Women 11301 N 56th St, Temple Terrace, FL 33617
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 813-684-1972.