Atria Newell Creek gives back

Senior living community creates ‘blessing bags’ with basic essentials

One way Atria Newell Creek is giving back to the community this summer is through donating to Project Hope for the Homeless in Painesville.

The residents of this assistive senior living community in Mentor have been creating “blessing bags” containing basic essentials.

“Our community purchased everything needed for the bags and our residents put them together,” said Atria Newell Creek Engage Life Director Tiffany Bazan. “In each bag there is, socks, a poncho, toothpaste/toothbrush, shampoo, soap, combs, tissues, hand sanitizer, band aids and of course a sweet note from our residents. In total, we have created 50 bags and will be continuing to make these throughout the end of June, and even in July. The bags that we are creating this month will be donated on the 29th and the residents that helped make them will be going with us to deliver them.”

This community service project has been mutually beneficial.

While the donations will help many people in need, the residents are fulfilling a desire to make a difference.

“We are always looking for ways to give back to the community, and since most of our residents have done some sort of volunteering in homeless shelters, this was the perfect way” Bazan said. “It just seemed to mesh well with our group here. They really enjoy giving back, and helping people who may need it. It makes them happy to create things for other people, and that’s what we strive for. It also gives them a sense of purpose when giving back to the community.”

The blessing bags are one of many of Atria Newell Creek’s civic engagement projects.

“We are making bedtime bags for the children at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital,” she said. “We are also in the process of setting up a lemonade stand for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. All the donations collected for this help fight childhood cancer. This will probably happen towards the end of the summer.”