‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ program returns

Everyone deserves to enjoy the warmth of the holiday season, and this year, area seniors who are alone or impoverished will be able to do just that.

Sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care ® office serving Central Oregon, the Be a Santa to a Senior ® program provides gifts and companionship for lonely and isolated seniors. The program is made possible by the generous support of area nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community.

“There are so many seniors, right here in Central Oregon that have nothing and no one,” said Todd Sensenbach, owner of the local Home Instead Senior Care office. “Through this program, we are able to show them that they are valuable members of our community and that people still care.”

Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with St. Charles Home Health, St. Charles Life Line, Partners in Care and the Central Oregon Community College criminal justice department to help with the gift collection and distribution.

Participating retail locations will display Be a Santa to a Senior Christmas trees from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18 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.

Program partners and volunteers will take care of wrapping and distributing the gifts to local seniors who might otherwise spend the holiday alone.

“We have seen, firsthand, how much this program means to local seniors,” said Sensenbach. “Without it, there would be seniors for whom the holidays would pass without even a visit.”

You can find a Be A Santa To a Senior tree at the following locations:

Fred Meyer, Bend
Bend Senior Center
Redmond Senior Center
Prineville Senior Center
Ray’s Grocery Store, Sisters
La Pine Community Clinic
Erickson’s Thriftway, Madras
The Double Tree by Hilton in downtown Bend
Pacific Source Insurance in Bend

For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 541-330-6400.