The Latino Elder Outreach Network surprised 400 seniors in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Isla Vista, Santa Maria and Lompoc with goodie bags and Valentine’s Day cards on Thursday.
On Thursday, the Latino Elder Outreach Network surprised 400 seniors in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Isla Vista, Santa Maria and Lompoc with goodie bags and Valentine’s Day cards to share a message of support during the pandemic.
Volunteers safely delivered goodie bags to seniors that included donated items from local organizations and information about vital senior services.
The event was sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, Lompoc Valley Medical Center, Mi Vida Mi Voz, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a program of the Family Service Agency, and the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services.
“For almost a year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the senior community is more isolated than ever before,” said LEON Co-Chair Marco Quintanar. “The LEON Caravan Event strives to alleviate that isolation, providing the senior community with small gifts, information on resources available for them, and the assurance that we are here to help.”
The surprise was part of an effort by LEON to explore the expansion of its network to North County. Volunteers used this as an opportunity to introduce themselves to seniors and organizations in Lompoc and Santa Maria.
LEON aims to engage and empower the Latino community and all the senior communities by educating the public about the needs of and resources available for seniors in the county.
Current membership includes representatives from nonprofit, public and private entities.
Visit https://leonsb.org/member-organizations for more information.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
