Christmas wishes granted for Gaston County seniors

Earlier this year, United Way of Gaston County asked the community to help them provide, “wants, needs and reads,” this Christmas to seniors in the community.

There were different ways to get involved, including collecting items for the program, donating items or money, and even volunteering to help put the gift bags together.

Several businesses and community members came together for the cause, and beginning on Monday, United Way distributed nearly 300 gift bags to Gaston County seniors.

United Way of Gaston County began their Senior Christmas Wishes program two years ago.

“A lot of places focus on kids and families, and seniors are usually left out,” said Somer Saunders, campaign and donor relations manager for United Way Gaston. “They can’t splurge on themselves around the holidays.”

This realization is what prompted the organization to refocus its attention on seniors during the holiday season.

This year’s turnout was slightly larger than last year’s with around 290 seniors receiving gift bags, up from 250 in 2022.

What they found after starting the program is that most seniors ask for things that we as working age people take for granted, Saunders said.

Some of the main items requested are toilet paper, pantry items and other basic necessities.

The "need" category of the program is designed to address those household needs that seniors might have.

Taking it a step further, United Way partnered with Food Lion this year to give every senior a box of food for their pantry in addition to the wants, needs and reads they were already receiving.

Piedmont Lithium was the program’s main sponsor this year with several Gaston County churches, United Bank, and other businesses in the community agreeing to help collect and donate items.

United Way volunteers used funds raised for the program to shop for items they did not receive via donation.

One family donated $400 worth of items after seeing an advertisement for the program.

Dawn Patterson recently lost her grandfather and decided that her family would put the funds they normally use to sponsor a family's Christmas toward sponsoring several seniors this year, according to Saunders.

Thirty-five volunteers, including groups of high school students, council members for Cancer Services of Gaston County, and consistent United Way volunteers ensured that applicants as old as 106 were able to receive a gift bags.

“It was very rewarding to see it all come together,” Saunders said.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Christmas wishes granted for Gaston County seniors