SeniorsBlueBook.com W•W
RESOURCES FOR AGING WELL
GIFT is a grassroots organization started in 2015. GIFT’s “Thanksgiving to GO” program provides 600 Thanksgiving kits for seniors spending the holiday at home. Adult volunteers cook and package the perishables, assemble the nonperishables, and deliver the kits to seniors — all, as the nonprofit’s name suggests, giving it forward together. Now, during the pandemic, many seniors who would normally have interactions with their families are now completely isolated, staying at home and no one to speak with. GIFT is stepping up, offering an intergenerational phone matching program called CHAT. We reach as many seniors as possible. “Before COVID, I don’t know that everyone could understand that concept — how a senior might feel, that feeling of being really lonely and
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES
GIFT Gives Thanksgiving Meals and Offers CHAT to Seniors
out of touch” said Rochel Tombosky, Founder of GIFT, “But I think now that we’ve all experienced loneliness or not being able to be social or connect to people like we used to, we can now relate and hopefully be more empathetic.“ Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by Rochel S. Tombosky, Founder and Executive Director, GIFT, (412) 401-5914, giftpgh@ gmail.com, www.giftpgh.org
OUR MISSION GIFT helps seniors, help the community through focusing on what they CAN do. GIFT is effectively combating ageism, providing a renewed sense of purpose, and reaching an untapped demographic through intergenerational volunteerism. Indicates website link on seniorsbluebook.com 113
