Be a Santa to a Senior! Gift Requests Expected to Increase This Holiday as Economic Slump Continues

Be a Santa to a Senior! Gift Requests Expected to Increase This Holiday as Economic Slump Continues


Be a Santa to a Senior®, the popular campaign that has delivered 1.2 million gifts to needy seniors in the past six years, is gearing up again this holiday season during a time when seniors may need more of the bare necessities to survive.


 The Home Instead Senior Care® offi ce serving Burbank and Glendale has joined Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital, Joslyn Adult Center of Burbank, and others to pro-vide presents to seniors who otherwise might not receive a gift this holiday season.


Program sponsors expect gift requests to be up this year as the economic downturn continues and Social Security benefi ts fail to keep pace with daily living expenses. 


“Most people aren’t aware that there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of seniors in every community who have no family and are alone,” said Gary Reid, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care offi ce serving Burbank and Glendale. “What’s more, this holiday season fi nds many older adults struggling to make ends meet.”


Prior to the holiday season, the par-ticipating local non-profi t organizations identify needy and isolated seniors in the community and provide those names to Home Instead Senior Care. Christmas trees, which will go up in local businesses on November 15th, feature ornaments with the fi rst names of the seniors and their respective gift requests. Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, with the ornament attached. Volunteers will then collect, wrap and deliver the gifts to area seniors. 


Burbank tree locations include Curves locations at 1090 San Fernando Rd. and 940 W. Alameda Ave.; Burbank Town Center, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd.; Burbank YMCA, 321 East Magnolia; Williams Chiropractic, 2811 W. Olive; Vintage Senior Living, 2721 Willow St.; as well as Michelle Bouse’s Boutique, 2110 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake.


For more information about the program, call 818.843.8688 or log on to Be A Santa To A Senior