Ian Juarez 
MISSION – The City of Mission has opened its annual Adopt-a-Grandparent donation event for the fifth time this year.
The Adopt-a-Grandparent event is held to provide nursing home residents from around the city with various donated products.
A Facebook post shared by the City of Mission on Nov. 14, provided information on where residents can drop off donations such as teddy bears, board games, blankets and articles of clothing at the Fire Department, Police Department or City Hall.
Sydney Hernandez, the media relations director for the City of Mission, shared how the entire city gets involved to, “make sure that everyone that lives and works and goes through City of Mission is taking care of.”
“Well, of course, the holiday spirit is always about giving back and how we can help our neighbor. And this is just a perfect example of how we can do that,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez added what items are recommended to donate for the donation drive.
“Anything that can keep them entertained while there at the nursing home: like board games, coloring books, things of that nature, of course. Hygiene products, it just whatever they feel that the nursing home…can use at the nursing home,” Hernandez said.
According to Hernandez, anyone who wishes to donate to the drive can not only visit the boxes listed on the Facebook post. “We’re all one city,: And so everyone from our city gets involved like we’re all one. So, I mean, it’s not just police and fire like it’s everyone. We have the boxes set up at all of our city offices.” Hernandez said.
Activity Director at the Mission Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Arely Elejarza, shared how the donations make residents “happy all the time.”
“Because sometimes … residents they don’t have family here with [them], little things that you bring to them they feel so happy” Elejarza added “They’re so happy when … [The City] came over here and gave the residents … presents they’re so happy with that.” Elejarza said.
The donation drive will be open until December 12th.
