“Elves for elders” give to elderly throughout the state for the holidays

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

While many organizations are busy trying to make the holidays a little brighter for children in need, we found a group focusing on seniors in Rhode Island.

Volunteers with “elves for elders” have been busy rounding up gifts for some of the elderly who spend the holidays all alone.

It started 14 years ago when Maxine Hutchins, who’s worked in home health care for most of her life realized the elderly are sometimes forgotten during the holidays.

So, she started making Christmas cards for local seniors.

“One of my residents who was 92 said thank you for the card it’s the only one I got and that got me thinking. If that’s the only card she got she didn’t get a gift for Christmas,” she said.

She helped more than 300 seniors her first year.

Today Maxine, along with the help from volunteers, will deliver gifts to more than 13 hundred seniors living in 21 facilities across the state.

If you wish to donate, this Tuesday is the last day “elves for elders” is accepting gifts.

Maxine and her elves will be handing them out this Friday.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2018