SilverSource Delivers Holiday Bags To Stamford Seniors

STAMFORD, CT — It's the season of giving, and one Stamford nonprofit is doing its part to help those in need.

This week, SilverSource, located on Summer Street, is delivering holiday gift bags filled with essential items to about 150 seniors around the city.

Each bag contains a 2022 calendar, tin of cookies, scarf, mug and tea, personal care items like soap donated from Unilever, and a $25 gift card for groceries. Around $1,000 worth of gift cards were donated by St. Leo Parish.

Some of the bags also include a hand-crocheted lap blanket from Stamford resident Mauren Grosso. Sixth graders from Strawberry Hill School also provided handmade cards with special holiday greetings for each bag.

On Tuesday morning, volunteers arrived at SilverSource to pick up the bags and begin the delivery process to SilverSource seniors throughout Stamford.

SilverSource provides a safety net to seniors in need, and provides them with free and safe transportation to medical appointments, assistance with housing utilities and help buying groceries and medical prescriptions.

The holidays can be especially difficult for seniors, who might feel alone and isolated. Add in the COVID-19 pandemic, and this time of year can be that much more lonely for some.

SilverSource Marketing and Event Coordinator Robin Wexler said Tuesday the bags can make a world of difference for people.

"I think the senior population has been hit the hardest by COVID. We know that the feeling of isolation has escalated, especially during the pandemic," Wexler said. "To be surprised by a bag full of things that we know seniors like, it just makes them feel cared for, makes them feel not so alone and brings some joy."

This is the second year SilverSource has delivered holiday bags as part of their Caring Connections Program.

"We look at this as kind of a Toys For Tots for seniors. Everyone thinks about kids during the holidays and bringing joy and happiness to kids. We thought this was an opportunity to bring that same kind of happiness and joy to seniors who are sadly often forgotten," Wexler said.

Over 20 volunteers will help deliver the bags this week. On Tuesday morning, Stamford resident and volunteer Barbara Remondino packed the trunk of her SUV.

"It really just makes you feel so good. It's such a wonderful organization, and the people when you get to their homes, they're just so happy," Remondino said. "It's good any time of year, but right now it really gives you that holiday spirit."

Remondino first volunteered with SilverSource in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. She helped deliver groceries and made phone calls to check-up on seniors to see how they were doing.

"Even when it wasn't such a physical need, the emotional need was there and they really liked that there was somebody out there that they knew they could call or was checking up on them," Remondino said. "We're all going to be seniors some day, and we all have grandparents. You can really relate and empathize."

For more information on SilverSource, go to their website.