Creative expression and art as an outlet are increasingly important with the pandemic forcing assisted-living centers back into lockdown. Seniors in such facilities are growing lonelier as they repeatedly return to prolonged isolation for their safety.
Zakat Foundation of America has made it a priority during the pandemic to uplift seniors and show them they’re loved, admired and respected. Since the pandemic started, the humanitarian nonprofit has given about 8,000 greeting cards to seniors around the country. They feature notes and stories from volunteers to show that they care about the seniors receiving these cards.
Much of this support comes via donations from Altenew, a company based out of Syracuse, New York, that innovates and influences the paper crafts world. The company has also sponsored grocery boxes for low-income families and funded a water project in Nepal to provide a community with clean, flowing water.
“In regards to projects we’ve supported, we appreciate Zakat Foundation of America and the work it does in the United States and around the world, said Nabil Rab, Altenew’s CEO. “We know the work is actually going and supporting the community.“
Altenew sends a few thousand cards every mother’s day and father’s day, said Nayma Kose, outreach and community engagement manager at Zakat Foundation of America.
“They know we have been distributing cards to seniors since the pandemic started,” Kose said. “Every year, they have this contest where they ask all their customers to send in cards for mother’s day. They tell them, ‘After we judge them, we’re giving them out to seniors.’ We were able to receive all those cards. Each card usually takes about two to three hours to make.”
The time it takes to make each card represents the effort it takes to care for someone. Rab said the company’s goal is to inspire crafters and communities to make something handmade. Altenew offers free crafting tutorials through its academy and even provides a resource for those who are new to crafting or just want some pointers.
Learning to craft is the first step to giving someone a handmade card.
“There are volunteers who write a whole story on their card,” Kose said. “It makes your day. It makes you feel like someone actually cared for you. It’s different from a family member versus someone who doesn’t even know you. Family members, you feel like there’s some kind of obligation, but if a stranger does something for you, it kind of creates a hope in humanity. Seniors can see that, especially in a pandemic.”
That kind of effort goes a long way in making sure seniors in assisted-living homes feel remembered and cared for. Rab said he and those at his company firmly believe in supporting the community through different facets. He said for seniors, a friendly card can make someone’s day and help them through a tough time.
Altenew donated about 550 watercolor paint sets valued at more than $13,000 for Zakat Foundation of America to distribute to seniors. This partnership throughout the pandemic allowed Zakat Foundation to regularly send thousands of beautiful greeting cards to give to seniors around the country.
Kose said before, Zakat Foundation of America representatives used to be able to go and distribute items to seniors and do activities with them, but right now, they can’t even do that. It’s becoming just like the beginning of the pandemic, she said, adding that for them to be getting these paint sets is particularly positive because each one’s retail price is $25, but Zakat Foundation is giving them for free through Altenew. It’s something the seniors can use and can do hands-on, by themselves, she said.
“We believe in taking care of seniors and making sure they feel loved,” Rab said. “A lot of our customers make handmade cards as a hobby. Our products and tools allow them to do it more easily. We’ve done campaigns with Zakat Foundation of America over this past year and a half where we asked our customers to send in handmade cards, and they did that. I want to say they sent in 1,500 cards each drive.”