Share Cheer with Older Adults this Holiday Season
Home Instead’s Be a Santa to a Senior program kicks off in Kitchener-Waterloo
Kitchener-Waterloo, ON. – Nov. 15, 2022 – As the community prepares to celebrate the season of giving, Home Instead® encourages Kitchener-Waterloo residents 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 Brenda Enright, co-owner of the Kitchener-Waterloo Home Instead office. “Through Be a Santa to a Senior, we can help them feel the holiday spirit.”
This year program coordinators hope to collect 104 gifts for 104 local older adults. This is the program’s 19th year in the area.
To participate, shoppers can look for Be a Santa to a Senior tree or displays at locations around the area. Ornaments featuring the name and desired gift of an older adult will be on display, and shoppers can buy the requested gift and return it wrapped or in a gift bag to the location with the ornament attached. Ornaments will be available from November 14, 2022, to December 14, 2022. The gifts will be delivered to local older adults in time for the holidays.
Be a Santa to a Senior tree can be found at the following locations:
Chartwell Terrace on the Square - 100 Caroline Street South, Waterloo Ontario N2L 1X5
“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 Enright. "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 Kitchener-Waterloo has partnered with Alzheimer's Society of Waterloo Wellington, Grand River Hospital, ST. Mary’s General Hospital, University Gates Long Term Care and Winston Park Long Term Care 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 BeaSantatoaSenior.ca or call (519) 571-1665.
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To learn more about helping older adults in Kitchener-Waterloo, visit imreadytocare.com.
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Home Instead, Inc. and its parent company, Honor, are expanding the world’s capacity to care. With the world’s largest home care network and the most advanced care platform, Honor and Home Instead are revolutionizing care for older adults, their families, and Care Professionals. Home Instead, Inc. is the premier home care franchisor through its network of independently owned and operated Home Instead franchise businesses. Combined, the network has more than 100,000 Care Professionals across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide. For more information, visit joinhonor.com and homeinstead.ca.
