More than 1,000 gifts were delivered by staff to 373 recipients of TARCOG’s Winter Wishes Drive during the 2023 holiday season.

“We are so appreciative to all of the sponsors and our staff who made these wishes come true,” said Sheila Dessau-Ivey, director of TARCOG’s Area Agency on Aging. “The impact of these acts of generosity and kindness cannot be underestimated. Our case managers have shared story after story of the delight and smiles that the gifts brought to our clients during a time that could have been especially sad and lonely for them.”

TARCOG’s Medicaid Waiver Program serves more than 800 clients of all ages in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties. The holiday campaign, which was previously called Santa for Seniors, started in 2002 as a simple gesture to pass on kindness and joy to those in need. This year the name was changed to Winter Wishes because while TARCOG serves mostly seniors, it also has clients from every age groups.