Share Cheer with Older Adults this Holiday Season

Home Instead’s Be a Santa to a Senior program kicks off in north Houston

As the community prepares to celebrate the season of giving, Home Instead® encourages Houston 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 Bryce Florence, owner of the north Houston 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 50 gifts for 30 local older adults. This is the program’s first year in the area. To participate, shoppers can look for Be a Santa to a Senior trees 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 unwrapped to the location with the ornament attached. Ornaments will be available from November 7 to December 7. The gifts will be delivered to local older adults in time for the holidays. Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at the following locations:

• Home Instead: 13105 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77040
• Brenda and John Duncan YMCA: 10655 Clay Road, Houston, TX 77041

“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 Florence. "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 north Houston has partnered with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston 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.com or call (281) 440-5160. To learn more about helping older adults in north Houston, visit imreadytocare.com.