Santa Delivers Christmas to Local Seniors In Need

Santa, with the help of Fayette Senior Services (FSS) and our generous community supporters, will once again share the spirit of the Christmas season and the pleasure of giving to others by bringing Hope for the Holidays to seniors in need! During this annual holiday initiative, community partners and individual citizens provide gifts to ensure that our seniors experience a special holiday season. 

Each year, around a hundred local seniors are touched through this program. The purpose of Hope for the Holidays is to spread holiday cheer to seniors who are financially challenged, shut-in, or lonely and who may otherwise not have any gifts this holiday season. 

Many clients share their gratitude for those that help make this event so special each year. One client who has been able to participate for many years expressed what it means to them, “This time of year brings such excitement into my life as I await surprises from my Hope for the Holidays wish list! As a returning client of Fayette Senior Services, this is a once-a-year opportunity to request and receive items that help sustain my ability to enjoy an independent lifestyle. Happy Holidays and please extend my heartfelt thanks to the participating community and staff of FSS!” 

Another expressed what it means to them to feel support from others, “I don’t have much family left. So, after a while, birthdays and holidays started to become a reminder of how lonely I felt. After I became part of Hope for the Holidays, I realized that I still have people in the community who are so sweet and thoughtful that really care about me!”

Beginning Tuesday, November 4^th, Fayette Senior Services will have Christmas trees up at both their Fayetteville (4 Center Drive) and Peachtree City (203 McIntosh Trail) locations filled with ornaments. Each ornament includes a wish for a gift that participating seniors hope for this holiday season. The deadline to return gifts will be Tuesday, December 2^nd, and all gifts should be returned directly to Fayette Senior Services, unwrapped. In addition to their wishes being filled, those involved will also receive a bag of fresh fruits and snacks to enjoy!

For over a decade, FSS has played a role in assuring seniors have a gift for the holidays. After the needs of individual seniors are assessed and wishes are submitted, a team puts together a list for “Santa.” The Christmas trees go up, full of ornaments indicating requested wishes/needs. Members of the community can retrieve ornaments and take off shopping in order to brighten the holiday season for so many! 

Once presents are returned, Fayette Senior Services and a team of volunteers will have a gift-wrapping party to wrap and organize items received. With the support of many of Santa’s elves, Fayette Senior Services will deliver not only gifts, but the feeling of hope and love this holiday season! Fayette Senior Services recognizes the group effort it takes to make this happen and extends a big thank you for the efforts of so many in making seniors feel loved and appreciated. 

Throughout the entire year, FSS continues to strive to fulfill the needs of seniors in our community. Even though the season of giving may be felt more during these upcoming months, the reason for the need continues to remain throughout the year. Help keep the spirit of giving going throughout the year as FSS continues to provide wonderful projects to help seniors. For more information on how you can donate or partner with FSS, please contact Morgan Lanier at [email protected] or 770-769-8430. 

For more than four decades, FSS has been making a meaningful difference in the social, emotional, and physical well-being of adults age 50 and better in our community. FSS provides a variety of essential services to the community such as Meals on Wheels, Transportation, Information & Referral Assistance, Care Management, In-Home Personal Care, Home Repair, and Ani-Meals. FSS’ Life Enrichment center offers a range of social, leisure and fitness activities in both Fayetteville and Peachtree City and also hosts the award-winning Ultimate Café. For more information about Fayette Senior Services, visit www.fayss.org or call 770-461-0813.