Be a Santa to a Senior program will gift 670 people in Linn County for the holidays

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) -The deadline is three days away for a Linn County program designed to get gifts to seniors each holiday season.

Tags shaped as ornaments can be seen on trees at area Hy-Vee stores. 670 people in Linn County are on the list for the ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ program this year.

Home Instead has coordinated the program on for 18 years with people picking out a tag, shopping for the senior, and then returning the gift unwrapped to the store.

It’s a chance for people to help seniors on fixed incomes who are asking for simple items.

“With inflation the way it is right now they’re not able to afford those extra pieces of clothing so by us coming out and helping them it gives them the ability to have a hat, have a scarf for winter,” said Karen Huber, Franchise Owner at Home Instead.

The last day to shop is this Friday. After that firefighters from the Marion and Cedar Rapids Fire Departments will help deliver the gifts. Tags can be picked up at any Hy-Vee store, the KMRY studio, or the Linn County Assessor’s Office.

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