Program to provide gifts for lonely, needy senior citizens

As part of the “Be a Santa to a Senior” campaign, which delivers gifts to needy and isolated seniors, the Home Instead Senior Care has joined other area nonprofit organizations in an effort to provide presents to seniors in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties who otherwise might not receive a gift this holiday season.

The participating organizations will identify the eligible seniors and give their names to Home Instead Senior Care.

Ornaments with the first name only of the seniors and their gift requests will be displayed on Christmas trees in the Trumbull County Commissioners office, Wal-Mart Vision centers in Boardman and Warren, Optiview Vision centers in Austintown and Niles, Super Kmart in Niles, and Curves in Austintown, Boardman and Canfield.

Shoppers can choose an ornament from a tree, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store. Volunteers will wrap and deliver the gifts.

The public is invited to participate in a community gift-wrapping party at 2 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Holiday Inn in Boardman. The wrapped gifts will be delivered between Dec. 13 and 17.

Nonprofit organizations involved in the holiday program are: Trumbull County Probate Court Guardian Angels Program, Catholic Charities, Trumbull County Senior Service Unit, Mahoning County Senior Service Unit, Visiting Nurses Association, HandsOn Volunteer Network, Paisley House, S.C.O.P.E. Inc., Valley Renaissance, Clare Bridge in Austintown, Youngstown Metropolitan Housing, Sterling House in Salem, St. Joseph the Provider, Senior Center of Mahoning County and Fairhaven Seniors.

For more information about the holiday gifting program call 330-729-1233 or visit www.beasantatoasenior.com.