Be a Santa to a Senior Returns to Hamilton
This season, Hamilton seniors who are alone or impoverished will receive some holiday cheer thanks to the annual Be a Santa to a Senior® program. Sponsored by the local Home Instead Senior Care® office, the program brings together area nonprofits, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community to provide gifts and companionship for lonely and isolated seniors.
“The winter holidays are an exciting time of year for most, but not everyone. Be a Santa to a Senior gives members of our community a chance to brighten the season for seniors who unfortunately could be spending the holidays alone, without any gifts or any way to celebrate,” says Jeremy Grant, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Hamilton. “By doing something as small as purchasing a pair of gloves for someone in need, local residents can do something special for seniors in their community this year.”
Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with St Peter’s Hospital Foundation, Ancaster Community Services and Catholic Family Services to help with the gift collection and distribution.
Participating retail locations partners will display Be a Santa to a Senior Christmas trees from November 13 to December 11 that feature ornaments with seniors’ first names and their gift requests. Holiday shoppers can pick ornaments from the trees, buy the items listed and return them unwrapped (and with the ornament attached) to the store partner where they obtained the tag.
Be a Santa to a Senior trees will be located at St. Peter’s Hospital, 88 Maplewood Ave and Ancaster Community Services, 300 Wilson St E.
Program partners and volunteers will wrap and distribute the gifts to local seniors, and patients in St. Peter’s Hospital, who might otherwise spend the holiday alone.
“Our residents and volunteers have been such an instrumental part of this programs’ success in the past,” said Grant. “I’m hopeful we can reach even more seniors this year.”
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.ca or call (905) 521-5500.
Media Coverage
Hamilton News: Ancaster Community Services lends a hand through a range of Christmas programs
Hamilton Spectator: Be a Santa to seniors
CHCH News: Be a Santa to a Senior
CityNews: Stranger Play Santa for Seniors
The "Be a Santa to a Senior" Program in Hamilton
Since 2013 Home Instead Hamilton has been running the Be a Santa to a Senior Program in the Hamilton, Dundas and Ancaster area
About Home Instead Senior Care
Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, by Lori and Paul Hogan, the Home Instead Senior Care® network provides personalized care, support and education to help enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, this network is the world's leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,000 independently owned and operated franchises that are estimated to annually provide more than 50 million hours of care throughout the United States and 16 other countries. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ approximately 65,000 CAREGiversSM worldwide who provide basic support services that enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. The Home Instead Senior Care network strives to partner with each client and his or her family members to help meet that individual’s needs. Services span the care continuum -- from providing companionship and personal care to specialized Alzheimer’s care and hospice support. Also available are family caregiver education and support resources. At Home Instead Senior Care, it’s relationship before task, while striving to provide superior quality service.
