Eastern Idaho agencies seek nominations to bring Christmas cheer to Veterans

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Two local home care organizations are teaming up to bring some holiday cheer to Veterans across Eastern Idaho. Comfort Home Care and Visiting Angels are asking for your help in finding local veterans in need of some Christmas cheer.

"Tell us what your Veteran needs," Cara Fitzgerald, the owner of Comfort Home Care, said. "It can be anything. It could be maybe they're feeling a little isolated or lonely. It could just be a nice gift basket that they might want."

"Or a set of tires or gas cards or a new mattress," Katie Gasser, the co-owner of Visiting Angels, added. "Flooring, maybe a lift chair. The possibilities are endless. We want them to feel the love and appreciation that we feel for them. And we don't want anybody to spend Christmas alone."

During this time of year, seniors can begin to feel more isolated. In a survey by Medicare, they found that 1 in 4 seniors do not spend the holidays with family and roughly 44% of seniors feel lonely during this time of year.

"One of my angels went to her client," Gasser said. "She took him a cute little handmade gift with a card, and she called us afterwards in tears. She told us, he started crying and said, 'I haven't received a Christmas gift in over eight years.' That's when Cara and I decided we have to do more."

Spreading this holiday cheer can help the mental state of a veteran who may feel they are forgotten during this time of year.

"There's actually studies that have been done that have proven that feeling isolated, lonely, depressed is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day," Fitzgerald said.

Here is a link to the form if you would like to nominate a veteran to receive some Christmas cheer.

You can also call either Visiting Angels or Comfort Home Care for help on nominating your veteran. They also accept donations, checks, gas cards, grocery gift cards, or you can visit the Idaho Central Credit Union to donate under Senior Advocates of Southeast Idaho. Everything goes to a veteran in need of some Christmas Cheer.