Santa for Seniors is more than a holiday program. Throughout the year, the team works to support isolated seniors in our communities by providing meaningful gifts, resources, and opportunities for connection. In addition to holiday gifts, LCSNW’s Santa for Seniors team distributes helpful resources in the spring and fall, helping seniors stay connected, supported, and prepared throughout the year.
This fall, Santa for Seniors distributed more than 8,000 safety kits to isolated seniors across 11 Washington counties and through national partner sites in Oregon, Minnesota, Alaska, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Each safety kit included emergency water and food, an emergency radio, flashlight and whistle, hand and foot warmers, a poncho, emergency blanket, weekly pill holder, and magnetic medication files. Together, these resources help seniors be better prepared in the event of an emergency.
“Many seniors either don’t think about creating an emergency grab-and-go bag or don’t have the resources to,” said Susan Nocella, Director of Santa for Seniors. “The fall safety kits help fill that need and provide safety information and valuable items such as battery-operated flashlights and a NOAA transistor radio. These kits are especially impactful at our partner sites that serve underserved aging populations in areas such as rural Eastern Washington, Anchorage, and the Virgin Islands.”
Thanks to support from Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources and the Washington State Department of Health, the kits also include helpful information about staying active and preventing slips and falls.
A community effort
Assembling the fall safety kits locally in Washington is a community effort, with a variety of volunteers and LCSNW staff helping at different times. Volunteers from LCSNW’s AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Senior Companion Program (SCP) each helped assemble the kits, along with LCSNW staff from the Finance Department and a community group. National partner sites also prepare their own safety kits for seniors in their communities.
Tacoma-based Santa for Seniors also hosts an annual Safety Fair as part of its year-round efforts to provide seniors with helpful information and resources. This year’s event was held at Mercy Housing’s New Tacoma Senior Apartments, where guest speakers from Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Priority Footwear, Devoted Insurance, and the YMCA shared information on a variety of topics related to senior health and safety. From holiday gifts to spring and fall resources, Santa for Seniors continues to find ways to support isolated seniors throughout the year, helping them feel remembered, connected, and prepared.
Learn more about Santa for Seniors
