SALISBURY ó Home Instead Senior Care of Rowan and Cabarrus counties is preparing for its 7th annual Be a Santa to a Senior program.
Last year, this program helped more than 800 seniors by providing gift packages to older adults who were isolated or struggling financially.
Due to the economy, there are even more financially challenged seniors this year who will spend this Christmas alone or without items that they need.
Home Instead Senior Care employees hope to reach even more seniors within the local community. To make this happen, the agency is dependant on many local volunteers and businesses to help with gift pick up, gift wrapping, delivery of gifts and businesses to serve as tree hosts.
This program runs from Tuesday through Dec. 9.
Prior to the holiday season, participating facilities will be selected and given wish lists for several needy seniors in their facility. Once seniors are chosen, the names and wish lists are given to Home Instead Senior Care where the information is put onto ornaments.
Home Instead Senior Care then selects businesses within the community to serve as tree hosts.
The ornaments are placed on the trees. Holiday shoppers are able to pick an ornament from the tree, purchase items from the ornaments and return the items to the tree hosts location with the ornament attached.
Home Instead Senior Care will recruit volunteers to collect, wrap and distribute the gifts. The annual wrapping parties for this year will be hosted by two local churches in the Rowan and Cabarrus county area.
The first wrapping party will be held at Forest Hills United Methodist Church in Concord from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 16. The second wrapping party will be held at First Baptist Church in Salisbury from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 19.
General manager and co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care in Rowan County, Jena Hare explains that the annual wrapping parties go beyond just wrapping gifts; they create memories that last a lifetime.
ěMy favorite memory from our Santa to a Senior Program in years past is of one of our volunteers. She was helping wrap gifts with her two children, who were so excited to be a part of our efforts. They wore Santa hats and big smiles, saying they were getting to be one of Santaís elves for grandmas and grandpas.î
If you are interested in participating in the Be a Santa to a Senior Program this year visit beasantatoasenior.com or contact Robin Scharding at 704-788-3399 for more information.