Gifts For Seniors

I have worked with Gifts for Seniors for over one year in support of their Tech for Seniors program. I have worked both as a paid advisor and more recently, a volunteer because of how I believe in their mission. The mission of Tech for Seniors is to help alleviate social isolation and loneliness in isolated older adults. The mission is important and serves the community by adding resilience to the skills of these older adults.

Gifts for Seniors has been a beacon of hope and support for the senior community. Their dedication to improving the lives of seniors is evident in every aspect of their work.

Gifts for Seniors provides a wide range of needs for seniors. From recreational activities, clothing, small appliances and medical. There comprehensive support that enhances the overall quality of life for seniors.

The impact of Gifts for Seniors on the senior community is profound. The gifts they provide gives smiles and hope so they are not forgotten.

Gifts for Seniors has provided us with meaningful gifts for Christmas, Mother’s day, Easter/spring, and other special occasions and projects. We are so appreciative of everything they have done for us!
This last gift of the emergency bags was especially wonderful as our clientele has changes over the past years and we find we need helpful items to send people out in the community with.
We are so grateful of this service and truly appreciate everybody’s donations, volunteering, and commitment to the community. Thank you again Christy Thorndal Activity Director
Victory Health & Rehabilitation

Gifts for Seniors has brightened so many of my senior residents smiles. They have provided my residents with so many unexpected things. Because of GFS they were able to have a great Christmas last year and are always surprised with the gifts they get they didn't know they would be getting. Many of them stated they never usually receive gifts from anyone however, with the love that is spreaded through the gifts from GFS they are always grateful you.

These guys have been amazing with the gifts that they have given to us. We feel so blessed to have them in our lives.

GFS is an amazing organization that has brought so much joy to our residents at our senior living. We partner with them throughout the year. Every Christmas they get our residents a Christmas gift. In 2023, they were able to get everyone at least one thing they requested down to their favorite color! They are so great to work with and truly care about the people they serve. Thank you, GFS for everything you do!

I have served elders for 36 years. Gifts for Seniors (GFS) has made a huge impact for so many isolated seniors. I feel it is a privilege to donate to this organization as I know the good that it does and the smile that it brings. I have witnessed the dedicated volunteers and staff member who make it all possible to sort and organize in kind donations and to help pack them for distribution. What is really cool is that there are opportunities for giving all year round, not just for the holiday. Plus, there are opportunities for Seniors to receive gifts multiple times a year so they know they are not forgotten. I have partnered with GFS for many years and plan to continue to donate and partner with them for hopefully years to come to help bring joy to our isolated seniors.

The focus of Gifts for Seniors, to make older adults feel valued and seen, is very close to my heart.

Ive been involved with the organization for many years, first as a volunteer and now as a volunteer and board member. What started out as primarily a holiday giving program has grown tremendously and now is more of a year round giving program. Last year we served over 7000 older adults. And the need is growing.

Gifts for Seniors has amazing support. Without our dedicated leadership, community partners and absolutely wonderful volunteers, we would not be able to accomplish what we do.

Gifts for Seniors is doing work that I am excited to be apart of. I am lucky to be apart of an organization that works so hard to provide not only resources but gifts for individuals in their community and beyond. The staff and volunteers go above and beyond over and over again and are people you look forward to being around and working with. Their passion and dedication to the work they are doing is evident in every conversation and interaction I have with each person on the team.

Gifts for seniors has been a godsend in providing thoughtful gifts to brighten the spirits of our seniors with developmental disabilities at Wingspan Life Services. Staff are outstanding!

Dear Gift for Seniors Team,
We are writing to express our heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful services you provide through Gift for Seniors. Your dedication to bringing joy, comfort, and essential items to the elderly is truly commendable.
It's no small feat to recognize and address the unique needs of seniors, especially in a world that often overlooks their necessities and desires. Through your efforts, not only do you provide our seniors with lovely gifts, but you also gift them with something much more valuable - the knowledge that they are thought of, cared for, and cherished.
We have personally witnessed the smiles and appreciation from seniors who have been recipients of your kindness. We have seniors that expressed to us in tears of happiness that they feel the love, the care, that even at the age made them feel loved, stronger and embrace lives with enthusiastic and hope. It warms our hearts to know that there are organizations like yours that go the extra mile to ensure our elderly community feels loved and valued.
Please convey our thanks to your entire team - from those who organize and curate the gifts, to those who designed beautiful cards, and everyone in between, all had made with LOVE. Your collective efforts make a significant difference in the lives of many.
VSS hope to support Gift for Seniors in any way we can in the future, and we encourage others to do the same. Continue with the remarkable work you're doing, and know that it resonates deeply with many, especially during these challenging times.
With sincere appreciation,
On behalf of the Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota (VSS)
Hue T. Pham
VSS, Executive Director and Team

I have had the privilege and am honored to not only volunteer but be an active Executive Board Member for Gifts for Seniors, a non-profit organization dedicated to brightening the lives of isolated older adults in Minnesota.

Through generous donations and thoughtful gestures, they aim to provide meaningful gifts and genuine personal connections to those who may be experiencing loneliness or isolation.

I value and live there mission and admire how the organization / volunteers continually bring joy, companionship, and a sense of belonging to seniors, fostering a stronger sense of community and well-being in their lives.

Seeing the seniors that are helped by Gifts for Seniors is amazing. These are people that receive at times just a small gift but because they don't often receive anything from anyone it is a big event for them. A pair of socks, a coloring book, or an electronic tablet so they can email and get on to the web. Amazingly simple gifts at times for amazing people.

I have been volunteering with Gifts for seniors for many years now, and I can honestly say that it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Gifts for seniors is a nonprofit organization that
provides gifts for isolated adults. The volunteers help bundle gifts donated by people and originations form all over.
I have seen firsthand how much of a difference a simple gift can make in the lives of seniors who often feel forgotten and neglected by society.
Gifts for seniors is not only helping seniors, but also helping volunteers like me. I have learned so much from them and other volunteers I have met through the program. They have taught me about compassion, gratitude, wisdom, and resilience. They have also enriched my life with their kindness, and friendship. I feel honored and privileged to be part of this amazing organization.

If you are looking for a way to make a positive impact in your community and in your own life, I highly recommend volunteering with Gifts for seniors. You will not regret it. You will gain more than you give.

Gifts for Seniors' new Tech for Seniors program has changed my auntie's life. She is now able to navigate on with her tablet and uses it for connecting with friends and family online, various entertainment, telehealth, etc. Thank you for your incredibly kind support.

The staff there are so very helpful. For the past several years, I have gone to them to help me with gifts for the senior veterans at the VA and they have come through for them with flying colors.

I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to support isolated seniors as a Gifts for Seniors Council of Joy volunteer. Thousands of isolated seniors are able to experience sparks of joy through the great programs offered through Gifts for Seniors. The Cards for Seniors program is also a lovely program which gives the gift of a greeting cards to isolated seniors. Shopping through AmazonSmile and selecting Gifts for Seniors as my charity is another easy way to give to this essential nonprofit. I have had the opportunity to share more about this organization with my new employer, and am looking forward to using the generous VPTO (Volunteer Paid Time Off) my company offers, along with their corporate matching to support Gifts for Seniors.

As a member of a volunteer panel reviewing requests for donated items, it was heartwarming to know that the items available and given to seniors were things that brought joy, ease, and efficiency to their lives. I am grateful that Gifts for Seniors provides seniors in need with donations that mean so much to time and was honored to be part of the process to help get the donations to those who requested them.

As founder of this program in the late fall of 1994, we started out with a wonderful response of donated gifts from the public at large, the staff of senior agencies who selected gifts for isolated seniors they served, and the seniors themselves! Since then, every year the program has consistently grown. Now thousands of isolated seniors are surprised with a gift that's truly meaningful. Gifts for Seniors covers the entire metropolitan area of Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN. Becoming involved brings so much joy to volunteers and donors!

Gifts for Seniors is "the little engine that could" of non-profit organizations! They help thousands of seniors every year driven almost entirely by volunteer power and donations. Your time and dollars are always well-spent at GFS.

I'm proud to be a donor and board member of Gifts for Seniors. This organization teams up with other nonprofits providing services to seniors, in order to provide gifts, cards and letters to isolated older adults who need a boost. As a new Board member, I've been really impressed with the dedicated volunteers of this organization and the number of people it serves. I hope you will consider supporting Gifts for Seniors with a donation or your time.

I have worked as a recipient on behalf of senior residents of low-income starting 15+ years ago working as a country church parish nurse. I saw the surprise, thankfulness in the senior’s eyes as I brought a Gifts for Seniors’ gift into them (new winter clothing, bedding, or a kitchen utensil.) I then followed this program upon retirement working as a volunteer throughout out the year, assisting with handwritten positive message cards placed in each gift, sorting new donations for appropriate gift donations, and packaging the beautiful gifts at Christmas and the smaller food gifts shared throughout the rest of the year.
I’ve enjoyed working with the positive staff and the other volunteers there who take pride in packaging these gifts for our senior community residents living on a low income. This is one of those community programs that touch forgotten individuals, our low-income seniors.

What an incredible organization to lift the spirits of our aging friends. I have volunteered here for over a year and the happiness they bring to people is awesome. My Dad is in assisted living and received a beautiful set of bed sheets for Christmas and he loves them! Soft and beautiful. On Valentine’s Day, the entire assisted living residents received beautiful goodie bags that were the highlighted conversation at dinner. One lady even announced she was having a party to share her treats! I'm looking forward to all the seniors at Dad's place receiving gifts this year for Christmas! Gifts for Seniors, You Rock!

The Mahatma Gandhi quote 'The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members' is, in part, why I volunteer for Gifts for Seniors. From gifts during the holiday season and PPE bags to Mother's Day and Father's Days gifts, Gifts for Seniors remembers some of the most vulnerable members of our society.

This organization totally rocks. Their focus on providing not only gifts for seniors but warmth and comfort. They are very creative and thoughtful in making the donated items into gifts. Most gifts also include a heartfelt handwritten note as well.

The idea behind Gifts for Seniors is one whose time has come. The number of isolated older adults is heart breaking. For a nonprofit to collect donations and give gifts to nearly 7,000 of our isolated community members is a touching and rewarding experience that I've had as a volunteer. I just wish everyone knew about this fantastic organization.

This organization is amazing and filled with volunteers and people who work towards a common goal of sharing love and care to seniors that need it. It is a true blessing to see how much the organization touches the community.

I joined Gifts for Seniors with the goal of making a positive impact for seniors in the Twin Cities area. Each year, our volunteers work tirelessly to meet the needs of this growing population. Thanks to Gifts for Seniors, thousands of people in our community receive gifts and life affirming connection. Being a part of this organization has been a true gift.

This charity serves many seniors in our community by offering a gift over the holiday season. A simple act of giving a gift to a senior.

Becoming involved with Gifts for Seniors this past season of 2020 was memorable. I became a board member, helped with the Barrel Drive, and packed gifts for a large group. After doing just a few tasks I saw first hand how the staff and board works tirelessly over the fall season to make it successful for so many deserving seniors. Without the donations from anonymous donors with the Barrel Drive, and many corporations donating gifts this would not be possible. Please find a way to donate in the coming year.

Gifts for Seniors is a wonderful organization with a group of very dedicated volunteers, donors and agencies with whom we partner. It’s a privilege to be involved

What a wonderful nonprofit Gifts For Seniors is. They Bring joy and hope to many that would otherwise be Lonely and forgotten!! Thank you to all of the volunteers and people who donate money! Gifts for Seniors truly makes a difference

This is a wonderful organization with a great mission! They have been doing great work for seniors for many years and are quick to address emerging needs. When COVID-19 increased the isolation of many seniors, they started a campaign to provide tablets so seniors would be able to keep in touch with their loved ones. I can't say enough about the value this organization provides!

My time at Gifts for Seniors has been so rewarding. My children and I are all involved with delivering barrels and picking up donations. In addition, I volunteer to organize donations and shop for Seniors. The staff and other volunteers are like one big family making sure the oldest family members (our seniors) are not forgotten. I highly recommend volunteering and donating if you want to feel fulfilled in your philanthropy efforts.

Great, dedicated organization, great people and a great cause. I have done some volunteering with them and they are truly amazimg.

As founder of this program in 1994, I learned many stories of sadness and self neglect of seniors due to their isolation. I worked directly with county adult protection social workers who all too often were following up on reports of seniors self neglect whose electric, gas, and water bills were unpaid. Bills weren't paid due to the Seniors having nothing to eat in the fridge and thus, with the lack of food and water, they couldn't think straight. What could the COMMUNITY do to help these isolated seniors as professionals raced to turn around the isolation and the failing health much less hopelessness? How about a donated gift for the seniors from the community with no strings attached? Something new that the social worker could request as a donation from the community that would be a day brightener.... personally delivered by the social worker to the senior. Maybe a new article of clothing with just the right color and fit or new bed linens or bath towels, or, or, or the requests for gifts poured in. So the DayBrightener Program was created internally and that led to Gifts For Seniors for the whole Twin City Metro Area.
How proud and thrilled I am that this program now serves thousands of seniors through countless hours of devoted volunteers, and the amazing generosity of our community.
But this year of the pandemic has made isolation of everyone unbelievably sad, yet none more so than a senior who was already isolated. With so many people hurting financially how can we hope for gift donations this holiday season? But hope and plan we must. The Gifts For Seniors website www.GiftsForSeniors.org (MN) takes advantage of the direct delivery of items purchased through internet purchases by donors. Our hope is that those who shop the internet will send us something. Any of the new items on our wish list. And those who can buy at a store or make warm quilts or shawls at home will find a way to get their gifts to us so we can do what we do best.... remember those whom others have forgotten. I ask that you help us this year, especially this Covid19 year.
Gratefully, Kristine Poelzer