CAZENOVIA — Community Resources for Independent Seniors (CRIS) recently spread holiday cheer to area seniors by helping to distribute festive cards made by the Cazenovia Middle School fifth-grade class and a local Scout troop.
CRIS delivered the cards to the Madison County Office for the Aging to be sent out with Meals on Wheels, Kinney Drugs home medication delivery seniors, and the Crouse Community Center, a nursing facility in Morrisville.
On Dec. 23, Karisha Solomon, CRIS’s executive director, said all the cards would be delivered before Christmas Eve.
According to Solomon, the holiday season and the winter months are important times to support the senior population.
“We know that everyone does not have family or the opportunity to get together for holiday meals,” said Solomon. “We target homebound seniors — anyone 55-plus that cannot get out of their house — in the winter months especially because we know that they become more isolated and depressed. This is our way of spreading a little cheer and just letting them know we are here if [they] need us. The partnership with the school and Girl Scouts [benefits] both groups. The kids wrote the sweetest notes and drawings. This helps them understand that not everyone is fortunate. This helps build empathy. The seniors love it because they can see the whole community is thinking about them, not just the non-profit staff. We are open to collaborating with any organization, business, or individuals if they would like to participate or donate items to our other goodie bags going out in January, February, and March.”
About CRIS
CRIS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and coordinating supportive services for individuals 55 and older in the Cazenovia, Nelson, and Fenner areas. The services aim to help the seniors preserve their independence, remain active and engaged in the community, and live safely and comfortably in their homes for as long as possible.
“CRIS is considered to be the center point for accessing information about events, services, and vendors of interest to seniors and their families in the community,” the organization’s website states. “Additionally, CRIS also identifies, advocates for, attracts, and implements other services identified as wanted and needed in the local area.”
The organization provides direct services to seniors via various community educational presentations, the CRIS Cazenovia Area Transportation (CRIS CAT) program, and the Lend a Hand program.
CRIS CAT is a volunteer program that provides free medical transportation to seniors. The Lend a Hand program enables individuals and organizations to submit requests for volunteer help to meet various needs.
To learn more about CRIS and how to support its work, visit cris-caz.com or call 315-655-5743.
