Be a Santa to a Senior in SLO now through December 18

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - It's never too early to spread some Holiday cheer, safely, throughout the San Luis Obispo community. Especially this year during the COVID pandemic.

Organizers behind the Be a Santa to a Senior program, sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care, are offering safe, new options for community participation. 

"The Be a Santa to a Senior program brings so much joy to seniors in our community," said Tiffany Alcantara, owner of the San Luis Obispo Home Instead office. "Seniors are especially at risk for the feelings of isolation that we've all felt at some point during the pandemic, and a simple gift can show them that they have been thought of, which is more important this year than ever."

Organizers hope to serve 135 seniors across the SLO area. And, for the first time, Home Instead is teaming up with Amazon Business to create an easy, contactless gift-giving experience.

If you'd like to contribute, visit one of the participating locations listed below:

• Milestone Tavern
• Slo Smiles

Each 'Be a Santa to a Senior' tree is decorated with cards that have instructions to find your senior's wish list online. Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, follow the instructions to buy the requested gift/s and have it shipped for personal delivery. 

Members can also visit BeASantatoaSenior.com and enter their zip code to view Wish Lists for local seniors on Amazon Business.

You can purchase gifts online from individual Amazon Business Wish Lists created for each senior. From there the items will be safely delivered by APS Social Workers, which allows in-person delivery without exposing the senior to another person.

The gift giving program runs through December 18. Organizers are hoping to collect 400 total gifts, which will be safely delivered to seniors ahead of the holidays, a month away.

"We need the community's help more than ever to make sure seniors feel connected this year," said Alcantara. "This year we knew we had to find a way to spread holiday cheer to seniors, and we are grateful for the community's participation."

For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call Tiffany Terra at 805-710-6366.

For ideas and inspiration around helping seniors in your community, visit ReadytoCare.com.