The COVID-19 holiday season brought with it countless moments of successful and meaningful collaboration at the Villages. Whereas in previous year, the Villages has ended the year with its annual Winter Fest complete with a visit from the man in the red suit and full-on snow slide, this year, the festivities looked a little different, but felt just as special.

In early December, we received an entire truck-full of non-perishable food items and other household goods that allowed us to fully stock our on-site Resource Hub and provide 50 overflowing grocery bags to veterans and families living at the Villages. The food and supplies were generously provided by senior residents of Leisure World Seal Beach and connected to us at the Villages via Paralyzed Veterans of America California Chapter.

Shortly after this sizeable donation, Christ the Good Shepherd American Coptic Orthodox Church in Long Beach delivered more than 300 brand new, gift-wrapped toys of all kinds – enough for nearly every child at the Villages to receive a holiday gift. Additionally, the Church purchased and donated nearly 400 gift cards for teens and mothers at the Villages as a holiday surprise!

And if that weren’t enough, The Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach provided a plethora of brand new goodies, such as t-shirts, backpacks, toys, books, and puzzles for the families at the Villages in addition to another truck-full of non-perishable food items for everyone in our community.

The last month of the year was truly a season of giving and filled with holiday spirit! Thank you so much to all the partners who made the end of a challenging year so joyful.