Local nonprofit gathers Christmas gifts for thousands of seniors, disabled residents

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Thousands of seniors and those with disabilities will have presents this Christmas thanks to a local nonprofit that focuses on caring for those who many times have no one else to check on them.

Friends for Life, a Waco nonprofit that empowers and serves seniors and those with disabilities, is once again gathering gifts for their Grannies and Grandpas, Too program.

The program has been around just about as long as the nonprofit, which was founded by CEO Inez Russell.

“For about 36 years, the whole time of Friends for Life, we have been delivering gifts to seniors and people with disabilities,” Russell said. “We try to remember them on birthdays and other holidays, but for sure we want to reach out to them at Christmas.”

The gifts usually average around $25 apiece and include everything from blankets to large print word finds, socks, house shoes and gifts for men.

This year many are asking for air fryers.

Russell said the gifts and visits are sometimes the only ones they receive during the holidays.

“The people we take care of are alone, so they don’t have anybody to bring them a gift at Christmas,” she said.

Friends for Life is hosting a gift-wrapping gathering Saturday and Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Friends for Life’s building on Lakewood Drive.

Everyone is encouraged to come wrap and donate.

Afterward, volunteers will be needed to help deliver the thousands of gifts.

Russell said sometimes those visits mean more than the material things.

“We need people who will deliver gifts to these folks in the community and visit with them, and I think sometimes the visit is worth more to them than the gift,” she said.

For more information about Friends for Life, visit friendsforlife.org.

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