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About the Adopt an Elder Program
Circle of Care St. Louis's Adopt an Elder program is a holiday initiative designed to bring comfort, joy, and meaningful support to older adults experiencing financial hardship and unmet essential needs. Through partnerships with Social Service Coordinators, Hospital Social Workers, and community organizations, we identify older adults who may benefit from additional assistance during the holiday season. Eligible participants are matched with generous individuals, families, businesses, and community groups who purchase gifts and necessities from personalized holiday wish lists.
Wish lists may include clothing, personal care products, household essentials, nonperishable groceries, and thoughtful gifts that reflect each older adult's individual needs and interests. Sponsors purchase the requested items and deliver them unwrapped to Circle of Care St. Louis, where staff and volunteers prepare the gifts for distribution.
Adopt an Elder is about more than giving presents. It is about easing financial burdens, honoring the dignity of older adults, and reminding them that they are valued, remembered, and supported by their community.
Refer an Older Adult for Holiday Assistance
2026 Professional Referral Period: October 19 – November 13
Help Us Reach Older Adults Who Need Support Most
Circle of Care St. Louis welcomes referrals from Social Service Coordinators, Hospital Social Workers, and community partners who work with older adults experiencing financial hardship, limited resources, and unmet essential needs.
Through our Adopt an Elder program, eligible older adults are connected with community sponsors who provide thoughtful holiday gifts, nonperishable food items, personal care products, and household necessities. Our goal is to help ease financial burdens while bringing comfort, dignity, and joy to those who may otherwise go without during the holiday season.
Referral Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for Adopt an Elder, individuals must meet the following criteria:
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Age: Be 60 years of age or older.
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Residency: Reside in St. Louis City or St. Louis County.
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Financial Need: Experience financial hardship or have limited financial resources that make purchasing holiday gifts and essential necessities difficult.
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Professional Referral: Be referred by a Social Service Coordinator, Hospital Social Worker, or recognized community partner.
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Consent: Agree to the referral and participation in the program.
Priority consideration may be given to older adults experiencing food insecurity, social isolation, limited family support, or difficulty obtaining essential personal and household items.
What Can Be Included on a Holiday Wish List?
Referring professionals are encouraged to work directly with the older adult to identify meaningful gifts and everyday necessities. Wish lists may include:
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Clothing and Comfort: Sweaters, pajamas, socks, slippers, robes, blankets, and seasonal clothing.
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Personal Care: Lotion, body wash, shampoo, oral care products, grooming supplies, and hygiene essentials.
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Nonperishable Food: Canned goods, soups, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cereal, coffee, tea, snacks, and other pantry staples.
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Household Essentials: Towels, bedding, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and other practical household items.
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Personal Interests: Large-print books, puzzles, crafts, journals, and modest gifts that bring enjoyment.
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Gift Cards: Grocery stores, pharmacies, and general merchandise retailers.
Please identify three to five priority gift items and any additional pantry needs. Include clothing sizes, preferences, and other helpful details.
Referral Review and Selection
All referrals are reviewed by Circle of Care St. Louis to determine program eligibility and prioritize available assistance. Referring professionals may be contacted for additional information.
Submission of a referral does not guarantee program acceptance or sponsorship. Participation is based on eligibility screening, identified needs, and available program resources.
Become an Adopt an Elder Sponsor
Make the Holidays Brighter, One Older Adult at a Time
The holiday season is a time for generosity, connection, and showing others that they matter. For older adults living on limited incomes or experiencing financial hardship, a thoughtful gift can provide more than holiday cheer. It can bring comfort, ease the burden of everyday expenses, and offer a meaningful reminder that someone in the community cares.
Through Circle of Care St. Louis's Adopt an Elder program, individuals, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, civic groups, and community partners can help make the holidays brighter by sponsoring an older adult. Each sponsor is matched with an eligible older adult and receives a personalized holiday wish list reflecting their individual needs, preferences, and interests. Wish lists may include clothing, personal care products, household necessities, nonperishable groceries, and thoughtful gifts that bring comfort and enjoyment.
Whether you sponsor one older adult or organize a group sponsorship, your generosity can make a meaningful difference.
2026 Sponsorship Registration & Important Dates
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Sponsorship Registration Opens: November 2, 2026
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Sponsorship Registration Deadline: November 25, 2026
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Sponsor Matching & Wish List Distribution: November 16–25, 2026
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Unwrapped Gift Drop-Off Deadline: December 11, 2026
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Gift Preparation & Distribution: December 14–18, 2026
Sponsorship opportunities are limited and depend on the number of eligible older adults participating in the program. Early registration is encouraged to allow adequate time for matching, shopping, and gift preparation.
How Sponsorship Works
Step 1: Register to Become a Sponsor
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Complete our online sponsorship registration form and indicate how many older adults you would like to adopt. Individuals, families, businesses, and community organizations are welcome to participate.
Step 2: Receive Your Adopt an Elder Match
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Beginning November 16, registered sponsors will be matched with participating older adults as approved referrals become available. Our team will provide a personalized wish list that may include requested gifts, clothing sizes, favorite items, and practical necessities.
To respect participant privacy, identifying and sensitive personal information will not be shared with sponsors.
Step 3: Shop for Your Older Adult
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Purchase the items included on your assigned wish list. We encourage sponsors to fulfill the list as completely as possible and to contact our team before making substitutions.
Wish lists may include:
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Clothing & Comfort: Sweaters, pajamas, robes, socks, slippers, blankets, and seasonal clothing.
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Personal Care: Lotion, body wash, shampoo, oral care products, grooming supplies, and hygiene essentials.
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Nonperishable Food & Pantry Items: Canned goods, soups, rice, pasta, oatmeal, cereal, coffee, tea, crackers, and other shelf-stable groceries.
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Household Necessities: Towels, bedding, laundry detergent, cleaning products, and other everyday essentials.
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Personal Interests: Large-print books, puzzles, crafts, journals, and other reasonably priced gifts.
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Gift Cards: Grocery stores, pharmacies, and general merchandise retailers.
All donated food items should be unopened, commercially packaged, and within their labeled dates.
Step 4: Deliver Your Gifts Unwrapped
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Please do not wrap your gifts. Circle of Care St. Louis staff and volunteers will review, organize, wrap, and prepare gifts for distribution.
All gifts must be delivered by Friday, December 11, 2026, to:
Circle of Care St. Louis
431 Chez Paree Drive
Hazelwood, MO 63042
Phone: 314-873-3501
Gift drop-offs must be scheduled in advance to ensure staff availability. Please include your assigned sponsorship identification with your items so they can be matched to the correct older adult.
Step 5: Share the Joy of the Season
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Our staff and volunteers will coordinate gift wrapping and distribution to participating older adults during December 14–18, 2026.
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Your generosity helps provide practical assistance while reminding an older adult that they are valued, remembered, and supported by their community.
Important Sponsorship Commitments
We ask every sponsor to approach their commitment thoughtfully. Once an older adult has been assigned, our team relies on that sponsorship to help fulfill the participant's holiday wish list.
Sponsors are expected to:
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Make every reasonable effort to purchase the items on their assigned wish list.
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Deliver all gifts unwrapped by the established deadline.
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Schedule gift drop-off in advance.
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Contact Circle of Care St. Louis promptly if they are unable to fulfill their sponsorship commitment.
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Respect the privacy and dignity of participating older adults.
If circumstances change, early notification allows our team to explore alternative arrangements.
Ready to Make an Older Adult's Holiday Brighter?