SRB's Adopt-A-Senior for Christmas Program

Feeds the Soul for Gift-Givers and Recipients Alike

By Bette Erickson

What makes any community great, among other things, are the people that came before us. Some are long gone, while others are the older adults that are our neighbors.

As the holidays approach, many of those once active and vital seniors are not only grappling with being alone, but may not have the social networks that afford them the opportunity to be recipients of Christmas gifts. For that reason, Senior Resources of Broomfield (SRB) has created its wildly popular Adopt-A-Senior for Christmas program.

I had the opportunity to discuss that program in depth with SRB’s Executive Director Teryl Fabry.

Why did SRB create its Adopt-A-Senior for Christmas program?

Ms. Fabry: Loneliness and isolation have been a hard topic for our older adults, especially during COVID, which made it much worse. I saw someone place an inquiry on [the website] Nextdoor wanting to give some gifts to seniors for Christmas and wondering if there was anyone who knew a senior in need.

I answered, saying, “Yes.” I explained that lots of seniors in Broomfield would love a gift(s) for Christmas.

That is what started SRB’s annual Adopt-A-Senior for Christmas program. It absolutely blew up! People started contacting me asking how they could purchase a gift for a senior and I thought let’s do this!

So, we put together a flyer, including it with Meals on Wheels deliveries to recipients, and pairing with people in the community who expressed interest in buying older adults holiday gifts.

The first year of SRB’s Adopt-A-Senior for Christmas event was 2020 and we matched 125 seniors to 125 generous community members.

In 2021 (our second year) we matched 140 seniors with community residents in meeting their requests. Of course, this year we would like to meet as many gifting requests as possible.

Photo caption: SRB’s Teryl Fabry and longtime Broomfield resident Sally Huffman enjoy a much-needed break during coordination of the Adopt-A- Senior for Christmas gift-giving event last year. Courtesy photo.

SRB looks out for its aging adults in the community, such as by funding Broomfield’s Meals on Wheels program. Can you explain the SRB Cares Pick-Me-Up program?

Ms. Fabry: Well, the need is huge year-round. The Adopt-A- Senior for Christmas program fueled the year-round program SRB started in partnership with Broomfield’s Senior Services called the SRB Cares Pick-Me-Up program.

Through ‘care calls’ via the city, placed to seniors, SRB attempts to meet needs for older adults year-round, connecting them with community members to get them a requested small gift, while also bringing them joy.

What are the specifics of the upcoming Adopt-A-Senior for Christmas program?

Ms. Fabry: We start in October, putting together all the marketing materials and getting ready to send informational flyers at the beginning of November. These flyers go out to Meals-On-Wheels recipients, and are passed out at local senior living communities.

This year we are partnering with the Broomfield Police Department to reach even more older adults. We are also partnering with The Refuge (therefugeonline.org) to help seniors that are unhoused that may have specific needs. We make announcements at the senior lunches at the Lakeshore Café located in the Broomfield Community Center (280 Spader Way). And other seniors or community members are also encouraged to nominate their friends to receive a gift(s).

We reach out to the community to compile a list of people wanting to give and then start collecting the wish lists that we’ve handed out, and I begin matching people (seniors to gift-givers).

Given privacy concerns, I only disclose the first name of the older adults. I notify the gift-givers, offering them the senior’s gift wish list. This year our gift drop-off event is at the Presbyterian Church (350 Main St., Broomfield). The wrapped gifts will have been labeled with the recipient’s name and the Broomfield Rotary Club helps SRB deliver them to the seniors. This is truly a community effort.

For more information about SRB’s Adopt- A-Senior for Christmas event, to learn how to get involved, or for any other inquiries, visit www.srbbroomfield.org and leave a message in the CONTACT US section, or call 303-416-6073.

Bette Erickson writes about people, places and events. Contact her at bette_erickson@hotmail.com.