Every year, BMI partners with a local charity to raise awareness for an important cause and offer our love and support to a group of people in need. Last year, we hosted a company-wide gift drive for the Least of These—a not-for-profit organization that provides food, clothing, and other necessities to families in the Ozarks who would otherwise go without. This year, we have partnered with three local nursing homes to provide gifts for their residents. Our lovely Charity Committee created homemade ornaments, each of which featured a gift list for one of the residents. 

We decided to promote this particular cause to raise awareness over the startling rate of nursing-home residents who spend the holiday season alone. Whether the reason is distance from family or simply a lack of living relatives, 60% of assisted-living and nursing-home residents do not ever receive a visitor. This can make for an especially lonely holiday season for so many people.  

By hosting a gift-drive for area nursing homes, we hope to spark a desire for others to do something similar in their communities. An afternoon spent with a distant relative or even a complete stranger would be such a simple trip for us to make, but an excuse to dress nicely and talk about life with someone who cares will mean the world to those we visit. We love that this simple gift drive will uplift so many people, but our biggest hope is that the kindness doesn’t stop there.  

If you are interested in giving your time and love to someone in your area, research local nursing homes or other charitable organizations you are passionate for, and give them a call. It is very likely that any organization would love to have extra help, and the lives you will impact will be well worth the hours you spend helping out!