Adopt-A-Grandparent program brings joys to seniors

What do you love most about the holiday season? Brightly-wrapped gifts under a festive tree? Spending time with family and dear friends? Gathering around a table for a holiday feast?

For many seniors, the holidays are a lonely time. Friends have passed on, family has moved far away. Ongoing financial struggles may mean there is barely enough money to buy food, much less anything special to mark the holiday.

Enter MAC’s  2022 Adopt-A-Grandparent program, ready to bring joy to area seniors this holiday.

Here’s how it works: MAC provides a first name last initial and a small wish list. Community supporters are invited to contact MAC and “adopt” a senior from the list to buy gifts for. Gifts should be wrapped or put in a holiday bag and delivered to MAC. We will make sure the clients receive their gift in time for the holidays

In addition, general suggested gift items include:

Personal care items – shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash, shaving cream

Essential items – paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, hand soap, disposable masks

Nonperishable staples – tuna, soup, pasta, small serving canned vegetables, or canned stew or spaghetti, etc

Basic clothing – men’s or women’s pajamas, sweaters and socks, all sizes; socks, in addition to Depends-type adult underwear

Little extras – word puzzle books, stationary, stamps, envelopes, magazines, gloves and scarves

Gift cards – Walmart, Food Lion, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Apple Drug, Boscov’s, (for groceries prescriptions and essentials), or Dairy Queen, Hobby Lobby or Michaels, Dunkin Donuts for that little something special.  Also welcome are Amazon gift cards that can be used to buy special needs items online.

Names and wish lists will be available by the first week in November, in plenty of time for Black Friday shopping.

Would you like to remember a local senior this holiday? To participate in the Adopt-A-Grandparent program, call Valerie Wagner 410-742-0505, Ext. 112, or email her at vwagner@macinc.org