At a time when it may be more important than ever, Home Instead’s seasonal favorite “Be A Santa to a Senior “ program returns stronger than ever.

Program coordinators evaluated the important holiday event and made adjustments with the safety of donors, seniors and volunteers in mind. With seniors in northern Lee County more isolated than ever because of concerns due to the virus, this year, extra precautions will be taken so gifts can be safely collected and delivered to seniors in need.

“The Be a Santa to a Senior program brings so much joy to seniors in our community,” said Claudia Jones, program manager for the Home Instead office serving northern Lee County, including Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Pine Island. “We’ve all felt isolated at some point during the pandemic, but seniors are especially at risk of feeling isolated and a simple gift can show them that we are thinking of them. And that’s more important this year than ever.”

“Be a Santa to a Senior” relies on the generous support of the local community and volunteers, as well as area businesses, nonprofit organizations, and retailers.

It’s easy to help. Members of the community can visit one of the participating locations listed below and look for the “Be a Santa to a Senior” tree on display. Trees are up and will be available until Dec. 18. Each tree will be decorated with ornaments featuring seniors’ first names and gift suggestions. Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, buy the requested gift and return it unwrapped to the store with the ornament attached.

Since the program’s creation in 2003, “Be a Santa to a Senior” has provided approximately 2.1 million gifts and brightened the season for more than 750,000 deserving seniors nationwide. With adjustments, Home Instead will be able to continue the annual gift-giving program while following social distancing and safety precautions during COVID-19.

Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found at the following locations:

* Bank of America, 926 Cape Coral Parkway, Cape Coral.

* Bank of America, 2536 Skyline Blvd., Cape Coral.

* Bank of Ozarks, 1645 S.E. 47th Terrace, Cape Coral.

* MIDFLORIDA Credit Union, 804 Cape Coral Parkway, E., Cape Coral.

For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 239-236-4538.

About Home Instead

Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, the Home Instead franchise network provides personalized care, support and education to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, the network is a leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,200 independently owned and operated franchises that provide more than 80 million hours of care annually throughout the United States, Canada and 13 other countries.