Only a few months after opening a Home Instead franchise in Markham, owners Jake and Tracy knew they needed to run the longstanding Be a Santa to Senior program in their local community to help give back. It was the end of 2020 in a year where the world was drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the vulnerable senior population. At first they did not know where to start or where they could find the seniors that would most benefit from this act of kindness. Jake and Tracy spent some time thinking about the best way to positively impact their local community in Markham, ON during the holiday season and identified that long-term care homes across the country were disproportionally affected by the pandemic. Spreading holiday cheer to residents of these facilities seemed like the perfect way to help make a difference!
Home Instead Markham chose to partner with Markhaven Home for Seniors, a long-term care home that has roots dating back more than five decades in the local community. Through the collaboration of Home Instead Markham and Markhaven, gift ideas for the residents were collected and a list of gifts were posted online. People interested in helping to brighten a local seniors holiday season could purchase the gifts through their Amazon accounts which would then the be delivered to Home Instead Markham’s office. Volunteers wrapped the gifts and delivered them to Markhaven Home for Seniors. The local community’s participation far exceeded expectations and touched the lives of so many deserving people. Thanks to the extreme generosity of community donors, the program was able to facilitate the delivery of over 225 gifts to the more than 80 residents at Markhaven!
The holiday season can often be the loneliest time of the year for seniors as many are unable to celebrate with loved ones. The simple act of sharing a gift with a senior in the community helps remind seniors that they are thought of and are important. Given the positive impact of the Be a Santa to a Senior program, Jake and Tracy plan to host annually in the Markham community for years to come, including this upcoming holiday season!
