DALLAS — Elementary students from Richardson and volunteers from as far away as Poland are sending holiday cards to senior citizens quarantined at a Dallas senior living facility this month.
“They've had a rough year, especially those in our COVID unit right now. Just having outside contact and knowing that people care about them, I think it means everything to them,” said Wendy Van Bemmel, a manager at Forefront Living which operates Presbyterian Village North.
The greeting cards are the latest project organized by the Open Hearts Foundation, co-founded by actress Jane Seymour.
“It's one of those paying it forward things where you spread the word. It becomes fun. People want to do it. And they'll come up with some other ideas, you know, maybe people will be sending cookies places. Who knows what they'll be doing,” Seymour told WFAA.
In April, the Open Hearts Foundation created the #OpenHeartedChallenge hashtag. It’s designed to motivate people to use their talents in ways that help others during the pandemic.
As restrictions were being imposed in the spring, hundreds of volunteers baked bread, called neighbors, sent messages, made masks, donated goods and challenged their friends on social media to do the same.
“For the holidays, we just launched it again in November for this season of giving,” said Trena Pitchford, executive director of the Open Hearts Foundation.
So last month, volunteers from Dallas to Poland got on a Zoom call to create holiday cards. They’ll be delivered to senior citizens in Dallas, Burbank and Reseda, Calif., and Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Most of the recipients will not be able to see their families for the holidays.
“I think this is just the beginning. People love it so much. We just need to know the homes that want them, and we will send them out and it doesn't have to be the holidays,” Seymour said.
On Tuesday, seniors at Dallas’ Presbyterian Village North started getting those well wishes.
“We're trying to make sure that those who don't have a lot of contact with relatives and things like that, we’re making sure that they receive them so they can have a little holiday cheer,” Van Bemmel said.
Students at Spring Creek Elementary in Richardson ISD joined in the challenge and added 102 cards for residents there.
“Thank you so much for the cards. It was wonderful seeing how it made my residents smile,” said an employee at Presbyterian Village North on Tuesday.
Since starting the open-hearted challenge, Seymour said it has already inspired others.
“It's been unbelievable. I mean, immediately, my friend, Olivia Newton-John, said, ‘Yep. I'm going to do it,’ and Kathy Ireland, just to name two of the people that you might know,” Seymour said.
The Open Hearts Foundation also provided more than $284,000 in grants to 22 charities across the country that serve vulnerable women and children.