BASTA program makes holidays bright for many local seniors

Home Instead Senior Care in Peru is part of an international franchise that developed a community service program called Be a Santa to a Senior (BASTA) several years ago. This will be the fourth year for our local office to participate in the program that last year delivered more than 1.2 million gifts to seniors nationwide.

We’re pleased to sponsor the program again this year, which is designed to provide gifts and bring holiday cheer to our community’s lonely and financially challenged seniors. The slumping economy poses problems for seniors who live on fixed incomes, so the need is especially great this year.

The Illinois Valley Community has been very receptive, and extremely generous, as they again proved last year, by purchasing, wrapping and delivering more than 500 gifts to nearly 350 seniors throughout LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam Counties. Some of the area sponsors of trees have been HyVee Foods in Peru and Sullivan Foods of Princeton and Mendota. Also, involved in the program were over ten local Elder Care agencies, the Peru Mall, and the IVCH Mall Walker Tai Chi class (See enclosed press releases from previous years’ programs).

Our hope is to grow the BASTA program in the Ottawa and Morris area this year. Our local Home Instead Senior Care franchise services clients in both areas and we have a satellite office in Morris.

We would like to ask for your participation in this year’s program. Press releases will be submitted to local print and electronic media outlets to encourage coverage of the Be a Santa to a Senior program. Your participation will be prominently featured in each release.

Your participation in this heartwarming program will touch the community and bring people together in a worthwhile cause this holiday season.

Thank you for your time and consideration.