Community Corner
Local Seniors Support Families in Need This Holiday Season
A Giving Tree at The Terraces at Los Altos has allowed residents and team members to safely support local families and seniors in need.
Very few of us have been immune to the challenges of this year, but for many individuals and families, the pandemic has exacerbated already difficult circumstances. That’s why this holiday season, residents and team members at The Terraces at Los Altos (TLA) senior living community are supporting neighbors in need with a Giving Tree.
“I know monthly food giveaways at the Salvation Army have definitely increased,” said Phyllis Dorricott, a longtime volunteer and board member at the Salvation Army in Sunnyvale and a TLA resident who’s leading the initiative. “It’s very sad; I don’t like to think of things the way they are, but you can’t get away from it.”
For the first two weeks in December, a tree on display in the community’s lobby will have approximately 50 gift hangers. Residents and team members can select a hanger and either purchase a specific gift or provide a gift card.
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Dorricott says the hangers will support individuals and families the Salvation Army serves throughout the year. In a traditional year, the organization supports approximately 1 million children with gifts during the holidays (about 200 children through the Sunnyvale location), and this year they anticipate they’ll need to serve up to 155% more people with holiday assistance.
“These people have to meet certain qualifications to get assistance,” she said. “During the holidays especially, we always try to help families with children, or low-income seniors.”
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Normally during the holidays, families visit the Salvation Army “toy store” to select gifts for their children. This year, Dorricott says they’re encouraging more gift cards so families can safely purchase items from their wish lists themselves.
The TLA family has until Monday, Dec. 14, to donate items, after which Dorricott will collect and deliver them to the Salvation Army.
“No matter what conditions are right now, there’s always someone in greater need,” added Debby Gonzales, TLA’s executive director. “Even during all this, there are more people in need. We can do something about it and help make a difference.”