Stockings for Senior Citizens Drive Needs You!

More than 300 homebound senior citizens, who often do not have friends and family visit them during the holidays, receive a stocking filled with donated cold-weather comfort items during the annual Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging (K/T AAA) Stockings for Senior Citizens drive.

Tulare County businesses, community partners, and residents are invited to collect stocking-stuffer items and help ensure these senior citizens receive a gift during the holidays.

“This holiday event complements Senior Day in the Park, which encourages our seniors to get out and about,” said Jamie Sharma, Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency’s Manager for Aging Services.

“The Stockings for Seniors event focuses on making our homebound and isolated seniors feel special this time of year by spending time to go and visit with them, and by ensuring that they have a gift to open and enjoy.”

Community members can help by donating cold-weather comfort items such as slippers, socks, gloves, scarves, beanies, and lap blankets. Volunteers then visit the senior citizens and deliver the stockings filled with gifts. For donation drop-off locations, please call Bonnie Quiroz at (559) 623-2877.

Community members wishing to make financial contributions can do so through Friends of Tulare County by logging on to www.friendsoftularecounty.org, clicking on the “Services and How to Donate” tab, and choosing “Stockings for Seniors”; or by mailing a check to 5957 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia, CA 93277. Please write “Stockings for Senior Citizens” on the memo line.

This annual event is made possible by collaborative partnerships, including: Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging, Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency, Friends of Tulare County, CSET, Visalia Senior Housing Inc., and many others.

The Stockings for Seniors drive ends November 30.