By Liz Nolan, Contributing Writer
Photo/submitted
Northborough – Pick up a tag and make a senior citizen’s holiday a little bit brighter. Northborough based Home Instead Senior Care is once again teaming up with Central One Federal Credit Union for its Be a Santa to a Senior program. The community is invited to participate to make it a success.
Home Instead Marketing Director and Community Service Representative Wendy Nollman has been involved in the holiday effort since 2008.
Home Instead, an international home care franchise company, partners with community service organizations which serve the senior population such as assistant living residences and senior centers. The program is adapted to the given community’s needs.
“The program in Northborough benefits those seniors who are alone for the holidays, have no family nearby, or have limited or no resources,” said Nollman. The Northborough Senior Center assists in anonymously identifying those seniors in town and confidentiality of the recipients is a priority.
A tag is created for each senior in need and hung on a tree located in the lobby of Central One Federal Credit Union located at 148 Main St., Northborough. Customers and community members are invited to stop by to take a tag and fulfill the tag request.
Northborough Senior Center Director Kelly Burke said, “The seniors are always very appreciative of the gifts that they receive through this program. There are 30 seniors that are participating this year.”
The tag may include specific items needed by the senior, but there are tags requesting general stocking stuffer items like powder, paper pads, pens and stamps.
The program runs from Monday, Nov. 30, to Friday, Dec. 11. Unwrapped donations should be returned to Central One’s location.
“It is so heartwarming to see every year how people are so generous,” said Nollman.
Central One’s Northborough Branch Manager Kate Shaw is also impressed with the generosity.
“Not only will people return with the gifts they purchased, they will also bring in large shopping bags full of stocking stuffers,” she said. “It is an event many people in the community care about and look forward to. It is such a wonderful program and I am so happy that Home Instead chooses to partner with us year after year.”