Senior Citizens Deserve Christmas Too: How to Become a Silver Santa Today

The Belton Police Department wants to make Christmas very merry for area senior citizens.

The Silver Santa Program

At Christmas time, the focus tends to be on the very young...but older Texans deserve a wonderful Christmas, too! The Belton Police Department is now accepting donations for the 12th annual Silver Santa Program. The program assembles gift bags for Belton’s RU OK program.

How and When to Donate to the Silver Santa Program

Donations for the Silver Santa program will be accepted now through December 1st. You can drop off your donation at the Belton Police Department, Belton Area Chamber of Commerce, Belton CVS and the Belton Planet Fitness.

Suggested Donations for the Silver Santa Program

Some suggested donation items of things that can be used in everyday life are below.

Band-Aids

Calendars

Lip balm

Small notepads

Pens

Tissues

Small flashlights with batteries

Magnifying glasses

Jar openers

Small compact mirrors

Eyeglass cleaning cloths

Socks

Blanket

Click HERE for the complete list.

What is the RU OK Program in Belton?

Many elderly people live alone without family members to care for them. The RU OK program enlists volunteers to make daily phone calls to program participants. Unanswered calls or busy signals are called back. If there is still no response, the volunteer caller may request that an officer perform a safety check at the home. Since 2013, the program has saved 17 people from life-threatening situations. Currently, more than 90 Belton residents are program members.

READ MORE: It's Already Christmastime at Dairy Queen!

Who is eligible for the RU OK Program?

Belton residents over the age of 60 with good cognitive ability who live alone without a caretaker can participate in the program. An application to take part in the program can be found HERE.