Holy Cross Supports Santa To A Senior Program

Our community is so generous in donating toys for children who may not have a Christmas. Businesses and even some of our County Agencies organize toy drop-offs to help hundreds of children in our area. Did you know there are folks that do the same for seniors?
Each year Home Instead Senior Care puts together a program to provide gifts for seniors in assisted living facilities for low income seniors and seniors who have little family in the area.

Just as with children, without this program some seniors would go without any gifts during the holiday season. Gift tags are created asking the seniors to list a couple of things they would like to have. Home Instead then partners with businesses in our area to help supply the gifts for the seniors. Christmas trees are put up in various locations throughout Volusia County. The ornaments with the seniors requests are hung on the tree and people in the community can take a tag and shop for the senior.

The program is promoted nationwide with Home Instead and each franchise manages the program locally. Each year over a million gifts are donated through the over 250 franchises to the seniors in their area. This nationwide program begins mid-November each year and runs through Christmas when the gifts are greeted with many smiling faces.

Several years ago Holy Cross Lutheran Church in South Daytona became aware of the program and partnered with Home Instead to provide gifts for seniors. Holy Cross Senior Ministry Director, Bonnie Schillinger stated, “In the past we have supported families, or children to provide gifts but after hearing the need for seniors we decided it would be appropriate to support seniors since we have such an active senior ministry at the church. As you can see from the picture, our congregation came through with loads of gifts to share the joy and blessings of the season to 50 seniors this year. Our congregation is always willing to step up to the plate when faced with a need! We have a very generous and loving bunch of folks here at Holy Cross who are always willing to reach out to help our community.”