Share Cheer with Older Adults this Holiday Season
Home Instead’s Be a Santa to a Senior program kicks off in Halifax
As the community prepares to celebrate the season of giving, Home Instead® encourages Halifax 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 Alice McCarron, owner of the Halifax Home Instead office. “Through Be a Santa to a Senior, we can help them feel the holiday spirit.”
This year is our 16th year and program coordinators hope to collect over 1,500 gifts for older adults.
To participate, anyone looking to donate can find the Be a Santa to a Senior tree on display at the Home Instead office in Halifax at 5991 Spring Garden Road, unit #425. Ornaments featuring the name and desired gift of an older adult will be on display, and anyone looking to donate can buy the requested gift and return it unwrapped to the location with the ornament attached. Ornaments will be on display and available until Dec. 9. We will be holding a wrapping party on Dec. 13 before the delivering the gifts to local older adults in time for the holidays.
Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at the following locations:
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Home Instead, Halifax Professional Centre, 5991 Spring Garden Road, Suite 425
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The Berkeley Bedford, 2 Convoy Run, Bedford
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The Berkeley Dartmouth, 35 Eisener Boulevard, Dartmouth
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The Berkeley Gladstone, 2633 Gladstone Street, Halifax
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The Berkeley on Pepperell, 6240 Pepperell St, Halifax, NS
“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 McCarron. "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 Halifax has partnered with the Berkeley retirement residence and the Halifax Regional Police Department to help with gift collection and distribution.
Over the past 15 years, Be a Santa to a Senior has provided more than 22,000 gifts to seniors in our community. For more information, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.ca or call (902) 492-2273.
To learn more about helping older adults in Halifax, visit imreadytocare.com.
