Santa for a Senior ~ 2020

A mission project that Hope United Church of Christ has participated in for many years, Santa for a Senior, is being done differently for 2020.

Home Instead Senior Care Center in Cedar Rapids is asking us to play Santa Claus for a senior citizen differently this year. The center says there are hundreds of people who are 65 and older in Linn County spending the holidays alone, so they hope to bring people cheer this season through their Be a Santa to a Senior Program. It’s a program where those seniors can get gifts during the holidays.

Instead of picking up a name tag here at the church, shopping for that individual, and then bringing the items back to the church, Sherry Peterson, who has been managing for more than ten years, is asking that we go to our nearest Hy-Vee store and choose a tag there. Buy the items and leave them at the store with the ornament. Home Instead will take care of the rest.

Organizers hope to have presents for about 700 people this year. They get a list of seniors from nursing homes, aging services and Veteran’s Affairs who are spending the holidays alone.