Santa for Seniors creates online shopping option

And the lists are filled with things many people take for granted: socks, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, pajamas. The program is held by the Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging, or SARCOA, which serves Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties.

The agency has done Santa for Seniors for several years with volunteers delivering gifts to those older residents most in need. The program usually provides gifts to about 400 seniors each year.

Normally, SARCOA would post descriptions of seniors and their needs and participants could select which person they would buy gifts for then deliver those items to the former National Guard Armory off Westgate Parkway.

“Every year, I see many Christmas miracles that happen out at the armory from when we are collecting items,” said Terri Francis, director of community relations for SARCOA.

But with COVID-19, this year’s event is being handled differently.

Instead of descriptions and purchases for an individual, SARCOA has asked for donations based on general needs and the most requested items. The agency even created Amazon wish list that includes packs of Depends, bed comforters and sheets, robes, pajamas, socks, toiletries and personal hygiene items, toilet paper, Ensure, towels, shower chairs and bath rugs. There are microwaves, freezers and heaters on the Amazon list. There’s even dry cat food.

“There is still a person behind all these items that are being donated,” Francis said. “… All those seniors that we have always helped or will help, we do have their wish list. Their wish list will be posted on a wrapped Santa box at the armory, and we will look at that wish list and every wish will be filled.”

An Amazon wish list gave the agency a way to have donors provide assistance without having to get out and shop, potentially putting themselves at risk. It also opened the door for donations from outside the area. Francis said donations have already been received from as far away as Washington state. Donors don’t have to use Amazon; they can shop with other online retailers.

Items can also be sponsored with monetary donations – $75 covers a set of groceries (which will be purchased in bulk by SARCOA) or $40 will cover the cost of a bucket of cleaning supplies and laundry detergent. All seniors on SARCOA’s list will get cleaning supplies.

Or, donors can purchase new items based off the list of requested items and deliver them to the armory on one of the collection days.

And if all the items on a senior’s list are not fulfilled, volunteers take monetary donations and go out and complete the senior’s wish list, Francis said.

Collection days for Santa for Seniors will be Friday, Dec. 4, Saturday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each of those days. Collections can be taken to the former National Guard Armory at 2755 Choctaw St. in Dothan. And for a contactless delivery, you can have online purchases delivered to SARCOA at 1075 S. Brannon Stand Road, Dothan, AL 36305. You should specify no weekend deliveries.