The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation has given $85,000 in grants to 26 area nonprofits this year to fund holiday programs as part of its No Senior Alone program.
The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation has given $85,000 in grants to 26 area nonprofits this year to fund holiday programs as part of its No Senior Alone program.
This year’s grants have helped roughly 4,000 senior citizens across San Diego County through in-person and drive-thru holiday parties, meals, gift bags, poinsettias and technology devices to connect them with loved ones.
The grants ranged from $1,500 to $5,000.
Here are some of the recipients and the programs funded by No Senior Alone grants:
Bayside Community Center (Linda Vista) – Holiday meal and gift baskets for 40 seniors.
Casa Familiar – Festivities for 250 seniors at four senior apartment complexes in the South Bay/San Ysidro.
Chicano Federation – Drive-Thru holiday Celebration where 90 seniors and others receive groceries, gift cards and blankets.
City of San Diego Park De La Cruz Center – Holiday celebrations and Operation Joy to relieve isolation for 200 older adults at the Balboa Park Senior Lounge, including hot chocolate, ornament decorating, holiday cookies and baskets.
Del Mar Community Connections – A holiday party with cookie exchange and live entertainment serving 100 older adults, and handmade plant arrangements and stocking stuffers delivered to 60 homebound seniors with help from the Del Mar Garden Club.
ElderHelp – Holiday Angels outreach, with volunteer “angels” delivering holiday plants, handwritten cards and gift cards to 400 seniors (help with funding).
Encinitas Senior Center – Holiday celebration for 40 participants in the center’s daily meals program, including handwritten holiday cards from local Girl Scouts.
Escondido Senior Center – A catered holiday meal for socially isolated seniors and a decorations party for 300 seniors.
Fallbrook Senior Center – Holiday gift baskets for 60 homebound older adults and Spanish-language Christmas film at local movie theater.
Feeding San Diego – Holiday Hugs care package program for 400 isolated seniors, with hot cocoa, candy canes and cards.
Foundation for Senior Care – Adopt a Senior Holiday Gift Box program, with custom wreaths and holiday cards delivered to 85 isolated folks.
Foundation for Senior Wellbeing – Senior Trees of Joy program, delivering decorated tabletop artificial Christmas trees to 50 seniors.
Fourth District Seniors Resource Center (southeastern San Diego) – A holiday gala for 150 seniors.
Imperial Beach Senior Center – Holiday gift boxes for 100 isolated seniors, including healthy snacks, handwritten cards and mini-tree.
Interfaith Community Services – Adopt a Family Holiday program for 50 isolated seniors to receive gift bags and gift cards.
La Jolla Community Center – Holiday Cheer and Meal Delivery program for 100 isolated seniors, providing 50 Thanksgiving and 50 holiday meals, along with in-person holiday celebration for 125 seniors.
Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus – Hanukkah Intergenerational Celebration and gift bags for 130 older adults. JCC’s preschoolers sing holiday songs, and 100 seniors receive care bags with traditional Hanukkah items.
Neighborhood House Senior Center – 60 isolated older adults receive an item from their holiday wish list.
Oceanside Country Club Senior Center – Intergenerational Holiday Party for 100 seniors with performances by local school choirs, refreshments and craft project.
Peninsula Shepherd Center (Point Loma) – Holiday porch visits and gift bag delivery by volunteers for 80 isolated seniors in the Point Loma and Ocean Beach area.
Ramona Senior Center – Holiday celebration for center patrons and delivery of gift bags to about 150 participants in the home-bound seniors meal service program.
Rancho Bernardo Senior Center – New Year’s celebration for older adults featuring holiday fare, live entertainment and gift bag with a holiday plant, along with at-home deliveries, benefiting 100 older adults.
San Marcos Senior Center – Gift baskets for 100 seniors attending the center’s Holiday Gala luncheon.
Serving Seniors – Holiday party gift bags for 350 seniors at a holiday event, with hot cocoa, caroling and crafts.
Southern Caregivers Resource Center – A Holiday Drive-Thru Celebration for 100-200 senior caregivers and care receivers, including no-sew blankets, handmade cards and wintry teas.
Vista Senior Center – Holiday Spirit week and Winter Solstice party for 125 older adults, including bingo, crazy hat day, stuffed sock prize giveaways and a White Elephant gift exchange.
The nonprofit San Diego Seniors Community Foundation was formed in 2017 to improve the quality of life for seniors in San Diego County.
The grants are funded through the Foundation’s No Senior Alone Matching Holiday Challenge, an ongoing fundraising campaign.
The matching campaign is anchored by a $50,000 grant from the Sahm Family Foundation, and runs through Dec. 31.
Visit sdscf.org/givingtuesday.
