The holidays can be an isolating and lonely time for some. The Be a Santa to a Senior, or BASTAS, program is an annual service program sponsored by Home Instead and championed by the Commission on Aging. The program involves several partners and individual volunteers who come together through November and December to collect names and gift wishes from underprivileged seniors who may not have friends, family, or financial means to celebrate the holidays. The goal is to ensure that every senior in need gets at least one beautifully wrapped holiday gift. 

There are several ways for community members to participate in the program:

SHOP FOR A SENIOR

1. This year, the Commission on Aging will work with local businesses and retail stores to help facilitate purchasing and distributing gifts by placing trees and paper ornaments within their various locations. The public will see the trees around town, and they are encouraged to take an ornament with the gift request, buy the gift (leaving it unwrapped), and return it to the original tree location, or drop it off at the Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle.

  You can find a BASTAS tree at the following locations:

• LARGE print books and puzzles 
• Warm sweaters, sweats, and pajamas
• Snack and Goodie Baskets 
• Gift Cards $20-$40. Gift cards will be used to directly fulfill wishes or purchase gift requests that would otherwise go unfulfilled. 

WRITE A LETTER OR A CARD

We also welcome hand written generic cards and letters of encouragement or fun (no politics or religion please). Seniors really enjoy cards from kids. 

VOLUNTEER TO WRAP GIFTS

Our annual Wrapping Party is back! 

We need volunteers to join us for some holiday cheer as we wrap over 300 gifts for deserving seniors. The Wrapping Party will be held on Sunday, December 11 from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. at the Concord Senior Center located at 2727 Parkside Circle.

RSVP by calling 925-671-3074 or emailing concordsc@cityofconcord.org.

Questions?  Email us at concordsc@cityofconcord.org, or call 925-671-3074.

SENIOR GIFT LIST

This list was updated on 11/22/2022 at 12:40pm. 

• Green means pending...the senior has been selected, but the gifts have not yet been received.
• Yellow highlight means the gift has been received in full.  
• Pink highlight means only 1/2 the gift has been received.

LIVE STRONG HEALTH EXPO

September 9, 2022
Concord Senior Center
9:00am - 2:00pm

FREE ADMISSION TO PUBLIC.  ALL AGES WELCOME.

Vendor registration is open for interested health and community organizations.  See the vendor section below for online registration info.  Contact concordsc@cityofconcord.org if you have questions about this community event.

ABOUT THE EXPO

The expo is an annual health event that takes place on Friday in early Fall 2022.  Approximately 300-400 people attend.  We have space for about 40-45 vendors who have health services in Concord/Contra Costa County.  The event is FREE to the public. (Mostly senior citizens, but open to ALL ages).  

SCREENINGS

Health screenings will be performed on-site for community members during the event, such as: Blood Pressure, Glucose, Cholesterol, and Bone Density.  

VENDORS

There are 40-45 available tables have been reserved.  ($84 each table, $34 for non-profits).  

Vendor Registration: https://bit.ly/ConcordHealthExpoVendor

Non-Profit Vendor Registration: https://bit.ly/NonProfitExpoVendor

SPONSORS

There are also opportunities to sponsor the Concord Senior Center.  We have multiple levels of sponsorship and can create a custom package that fits your organization.  Contact concordsc@cityofconcord.org to receive more information about becoming a sponsor.

DEMONSTRATIONS and presentations

Demonstrations and presentations will be hosted during the event for the community.  Attendees of these presentations may receive raffle tickets for various giveaway items that are donated by participating organizations.

VOLUNTEERS

The Senior Center is always looking for volunteers to help at the Expo.  If you are interested in helping out, greeting, setting up, cleaning up or helping us spread the word contact us at concordsc@cityofconcord.org.

ABOUT THE TEA

The tea is an annual fundraiser benefiting the Senior Scholarship Fund that provides seniors who have low or no income with $100 Scholarship to attend classes, trips or other activities.  This ensures that all seniors, regardless of income level, have an opportunity to participate, engage and stay connected.  

The tea takes on a different theme every year.  Entertainment of singers, dancers or musicians are provided.  The menu generally consists of 3 courses; scones, savories, and sweets. 

All ages are welcome and encouraged. 

MENU

The Menu will start off with fresh apricot scones.  We will follow with some savory options like a cucumber tea sandwich, chicken and waffles, and a dessert.  We will have cold southern tea and of course hot tea.

FUN FACTS

Big hats, little hats, white gloves and a pretty dress/outfit.  If the gents come, we hope to see some fedoras, suspenders, sear sucker or bow ties.  

Our entertainment is TBD.

SPONSORS

There are also opportunities to sponsor the senior center.  We have multiple levels of sponsorship and create a custom package that fits your organization.  Read about our sponsorship levels and contact caryl.tynan@cityofconcord.org if you have any questions.

TABLE LAYOUT

VOLUNTEERS

The Senior Center is always looking for volunteers to help at the tea.  If you are interested in helping out, cooking, decorating, making decorations, helping serve, setting up, cleaning up or helping us spread the word contact us at concordsc@cityofconcord.org.

Hoarding:  The Challenge for Care Givers and Loved Ones

The Concord Senior Center hosted a free Hoarding Workshop on June 29, 2019. The event was a collaborative effort that included, The Concord Senior Center, Meals on Wheels Diablo Valley Region, Contra Costa Health Services and Concord Police Department’s Code Enforcement. The purpose of this event, was to provide resources and information for caregivers and loved ones, or other persons who want to know more about the hoarding disorder and how to start the organization process.

Over 120+ people attended the two hour presentation, to listen to a knowledgeable group of speakers. Also in attendance were a few vendors, Nurse Next Door, Sunrise Homes, Provident Health Care, ACE Home Health & Hospice and staff from Contra Costa County who provided information on other services.

The speakers included Michael Tynan who shared a personal story about his mother’s struggle with hoarding. Dr. Joyce Martin, psychologist and counselor for Contra Costa County defined the different types of hoarding, what could cause it, treatment options, and how to get started dealing with this disorder. Janet Flint, professional organizer, followed with tips and strategies on how to direct someone with hoarding disorder to make better decisions by getting buy in and voluntary compliance. Heather Argueta was our 4^th speaker who concentrated on safety. The safety of the person can be a good motivating reason to organize and de-clutter. She showed several examples on how a hoard can become a safety issue. Finally, we heard from Concord’s Code Enforcement Officer, Jeff Conner, who explained the role of code enforcement on hoarding situations. They hope to resolve issue with empathy and patience, with the understanding that hoarding can affect more than just the person on the cluttered property. Code enforcement needs to also help the person realize that their situation can easily affect the lives of those who share a building (apartment) or a neighbor. Hoards come with insects, rodents, mold and more. We want to ensure that all involved, are safe.

The information was very well received and the feedback shows that the community did get some value from the presentation.

• “This motivated me and reminded me about fall prevention and why I need to start.”
• “Hoarding Resources needed when we start the clean-up process.”
• “The emotional issues with this disorder and how to gently deal with people that have anxiety getting rid of items”

If you missed the presentation, view the video and download available resources. For more information, contact caryl.tynan@cityofconcord.org.

VIDEO http://reflect-concord.cablecast.tv/vod/199-Hoarding-The-Challenge-for-Caregivers-and-Loved-O-High-v1.mp4

• Notes from a Hoarder's Son - Michael Tynan
• Clearing The Way:  When a Mess is More than Just a Mess - Dr. Joyce Martin
• Organizing Tips - Janet Flint
• Hoarding and Safety - Heather Arguets, OTA
• Code Enforcement and Hoarding - Ofc. Jeff Conner
• Hoarding Resource List

propose an event or workshop

Do you have an idea for a workshop or community event?  The Senior Center has multiple rooms available for rent or if there is a community issue that you feel the city should be part of you can contact Senior Center Staff and start the conversation.  We will need the following information emailed to concordsc@cityofconcord.org with the subject, "New Event Proposal".

We will need;

• Full name of person who wishes to be the point of contact for event.
• Phone and email of contact person
• Name of event with short description.
• Who do you think this will benefit.
• What days/dates or times you think this event should happen.