Santa for Seniors is a grassroots volunteer project designed to bring Christmas joy to Wiregrass seniors who need basic items for everyday living. SARCOA case managers chose the neediest seniors in the area as Santa for Seniors recipients. All have low income and most are homebound and alone. Each year there are several hundred clients with requests on a wish list. Common requests are groceries, liquid nutritional supplements like Ensure, bed linens, slippers, heaters and help with high utility bills.

Seniors are listed below by county. Click the button of the county you wish to view, choose which senior(s) to sponsor and register using the form. Then take your senior’s wish list and go shopping for the items. SARCOA has also set up an Amazon wish list if you would prefer shopping there. The list can be accessed by clicking the button below:

GO TO AMAZON WISH LIST

Gifts will be collected at the former National Guard Armory (2755 Choctaw Street in Dothan – at the intersection of Westgate Parkway and Choctaw Street, turn onto Choctaw Street and enter through armory gate to blue warehouses in back of lot) on Saturday, December 5, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Friday, December 11, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.; and Saturday, December 12, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. SARCOA case managers and volunteers will deliver gifts to the seniors before Christmas.

In addition to gifts, we also collect monetary donations for the project. This cash is primarily used to cover the grocery baskets and assist with bill payments and medical procedures like dental work that are requested. You can give online through PayPal by using the links below (you can also use a credit card through PayPal) or bring cash or check to our office on Brannon Stand Road in Dothan or during open hours at the gift collection site. Thank you for taking part in this worthy cause!

If you would like to volunteer, there are many areas where we need your help. Please sign up today by clicking below!
Go To Volunteer Signup Page

Do I have to sponsor a senior or can I just give items or money?

General donations of items are accepted and appreciated. Please donate new, unused items. General donations are used to fill requests that were unsponsored.

Cash donations are used to purchase groceries, emergency response systems, and assist with bill payments and medical procedures like dental work that are requested.

Should I wrap my gifts?

Items may be wrapped or unwrapped.  Most important is that gifts delivered to the collection site should be labeled with the senior’s number (the three-digit number and two-letter initials, ie: JB101). 

If you do wrap your gifts, bags are preferred; if wrapped in box/paper, please also attach a note telling what is inside the package (it will be removed before delivery to senior). 

At the collection site, gifts are organized in banana boxes decorated with Christmas paper.

Is my donation tax deductible?

General cash donations are tax-deductible. 100% of monetary contributions received go directly to the seniors in the wiregrass. 

Cash donations made to a specific client are NOT tax-deductible. 

What is a grocery basket?

Grocery baskets are arranged by SARCOA from local grocery stores.  The baskets contain general items needed for everyday cooking. We receive sales and discounts from the store on this mass order, making the $75 donation stretch further than it would otherwise. The grocery baskets are packaged at the store and delivered by the client’s case manager to the client’s home.

Can I write a check?

Yes. Checks can be made out to SARCOA with memo Santa for Seniors and delivered to the gift collection site during open hours, or mailed/delivered to SARCOA, 1075 S. Brannon Stand Rd., Dothan, AL 36305.

Where is the gift collection site?

Gifts will be collected at the former National Guard Armory on Westgate Parkway in Dothan. Click here for a map: https://goo.gl/maps/jqgRZbJbWaM2 

Address: 2755 Choctaw Street, Dothan

Below is a list of items that are commonly requested through the Santa for Seniors program and throughout the year.

General Items

  • Ensure/Boost/Glucerna (all flavors)
  • Diapers/Pull-ups/Depends (all sizes)
  • Wipes
  • Washcloths
  • Bed Pads
  • Laundry detergent
  • Paper products (toilet paper, paper towels & Kleenex)
  • Personal hygiene products (soap, lotion, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, etc)
  • Pet food
  • Robes, pajamas, slippers (women & men, all sizes)
  • Bed linens (sheets, blankets, comforters)
  • Heated lap blanket (throw blanket)
  • Cleaning Supplies (especially supplies that contain bleach)

Grocery basket items are purchased in bulk from local grocery stores by SARCOA with donations.  The baskets contain general shelf stable items needed for everyday cooking.  The groceries are packed in bags by volunteers and delivered to the recipient’s home.

Click the buttons below to go to each county’s Santa For Seniors page.

As an area agency on aging, SARCOA works to bring together funding sources and service providers to deliver services that assist both senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, helping them maintain their dignity, independence and quality of life.

Learn More About SARCOA

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