GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Green Valley memory care facility is helping bring warmth and comfort to older adults who often feel overlooked during the holidays — thanks to one Sahuarita resident’s growing mission to serve seniors across Southern Arizona.
For the past four years, Sara Donia has collected hundreds of blankets for residents at The Villas at Green Valley and older adults throughout the community. What began as a personal act of kindness has grown into a yearly tradition that now involves dozens of families, children, and even a local baseball team.
Donia first began giving back after her family participated in the facility’s Adopt-a-Senior program in 2019. The program pairs community members with memory care residents and encourages them to build connections through small but meaningful gifts like blankets, treats, calendars, or simple personal items.
The Donias became especially close with a resident named Earl, who later passed away from cancer in 2020. His loss inspired Sara to start the blanket drive in his honor.
“I just wanted to make sure every senior got something,” Donia said. “I think seniors get forgotten about, and I don’t like that. My grandparents have all passed, so I don’t have any. This is my way of spreading cheer.”
That first year, she collected coffee mugs, slippers, and small gifts — but soon realized blankets were something every senior could use. Her annual blanket drive was born.
Last year, she collected 200 blankets. This year, she hopes to collect 300 or more, enough to provide a blanket for every resident at the Villas’ Green Valley and Tucson locations.
Tiffany Ford, Admissions and Marketing Director for The Villas at Green Valley, says the impact of these donations is deeper than people may realize.
“Our annual Adopt-a-Senior program is a way for the community to connect with our memory care residents,” Ford said. “My biggest goal is to allow them to feel the holiday spirit… I want them to feel thought about and that they’re part of the community still.”
Families across Sahuarita and Green Valley have joined Donia’s efforts. Her children, nieces, and nephews help deliver blankets — sometimes caroling along the way — and her son’s baseball team has already contributed around 30 donations.
She hopes to reach her 300-blanket goal by December 21, when she plans to deliver the donations to the facility.
“I know we can do it,” Donia said. “But I can’t do it without people’s help.”
Those interested in donating a new blanket can email ChristmasBlankets25@gmail.com to arrange drop-off or pickup.
For more information about the Villas’ Adopt-a-Senior program, contact Tiffany Ford at 520-471-7147.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
