Become a Senior’s Secret Pal

The needy senior citizens that HSP serves through our Senior Citizen Project all must confront the challenges of aging while also dealing with the burden of poverty. We at the Humanitarian Service Project, not wanting these seniors going through this alone, provide a number of services to help them out including a monthly delivery of 90 pounds of much needed groceries (including fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, bread, non-perishables, and paper products) to make sure their basic needs are met. However, another issue the needy seniors we serve may face is a feeling of isolation which their circumstances may bring. This is where the participants of our “Secret Pal” program come in. Our “secret pals” buy a small gift, of between $5 to $25, each month for one of our seniors. These gifts not only provide our seniors with items they need which they would not be able to purchase otherwise, but most importantly the gift shows the senior that they are cared for.

At HSP we often receive messages from our seniors to convey their thanks to their secret pal. One senior wrote about her secret pal, “If I were to look up kind and generous in the dictionary, I would see your picture there.” Another senior wrote that because of illness, she can no longer be “the mover and shaker” she once was, but through the thoughtfulness of her secret pal her “attitude on life has improved immensely.” Our secret pals have clearly helped HSP make such a big impact in the lives of the needy senior citizens, and we want to thank them for their thoughtfulness.

However, we still have many seniors who do not currently have secret pals. If you would be interested in showing a needy senior citizen how much you care by becoming a secret pal, or have any questions about the program, please call us at 630-221-8340 or email us at hsp@humanitarianservice.org.