An organization of law officers who make sure less fortunate Michigan senior citizens have new items for the holidays says it needs help raising donations for this year.
It started 17 years ago with 20 grocery store bags. This year, the Tri-County TRIAD organization is hoping to fill more than 300 boxes full of items for seniors in need. But they need help with donations. Click on this sentence to help.
You can also email info@tricountytriad.org
Tri-County TRIAD's "No Senior Without Christmas" program is organized by law enforcement from across mid-Michigan.
It's spearheaded by Lt. Traci Ruiz of the Lansing police department. She talked with "Morning Edition" host Brooke Allen on Wednesday morning.
Donations help buy food, toiletries, clothing and other items to last a year. The officers will take donated funds to purchase the items. Then on December 6, volunteers will sort them into boxes. Officers then visit the seniors in Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties at their homes for delivery.
Because of the economy, Ruiz said 2017 is their largest need.
Click on this sentence for a link to the Tri-County TRIAD.
Transcription of audio:
Allen: You’re listening to WKAR your NPR station. I’m Brooke Allen. It’s November 29th and that means we’re less than a month away from Christmas. And right here in mid-Michigan, dozens of seniors are depending on generosity and local law enforcement to make their holidays a little smoother and a little brighter. And those seniors, they receive gift baskets normally, but this year the officers are running low on donations and volunteers, but not will-power. And joining us to explain what I’m talking about is Lansing police Lt. Traci Ruiz. And good morning.
Ruiz: Good morning, Brooke.
Allen: This effort all began about seventeen years ago, so let’s start at the beginning.
Ruiz: Yeah, so I started participating with Triad, Tri County Triad is the new name, because we encompass the Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties so we service those populations. And in 2000 we started out with 20 Meijer paper bags and we would have about four items of crocheted knit products that were made by other seniors. In 2009, we grew to 200 boxes. In 2010, we grew to 300, and this year we are doing 350 boxes. So well in a business sense, you think growth is good. The sad part is that the community is in need and that’s why we’ve grown.
Allen: So these are all senior citizens, local senior citizens, and these boxes that you are talking about are all based on donations.
Ruiz: Absolutely.
Allen: So tell me what’s in these boxes.
Ruiz: So the program started a little before 2000, I just started participating in 2000. And like I said, we started with 20 Meijer paper bags with the four crocheted items. And we grew it to necessities, toiletries. So the biggies are the shampoo, body wash, laundry soap, dish soap, socks, any type of home products these seniors cannot go out and buy themselves either it’s financial means or because they don’t have a car or don’t drive.
Allen: And may not have family members to celebrate the holidays with.
Ruiz: That is correct. The population that we are servicing are indigent senior citizens who are homebound so it’s in their own homes, apartments, or condos.
Allen: These senior citizens you were telling me before we began that they look forward to this every year.
Ruiz: They depend on us, absolutely. They’re living off below poverty level and they rely upon these boxes.
Allen: I’m Brooke Allen and we are talking to Lansing Police Lt. Traci Ruiz and lieutenant, we are talking about senior citizens who are home bound and who are actually needing everyone’s help to have a Christmas this year, so explain what we are talking about.
Ruiz: So with no senior without Christmas or the need in the community?
Allen: Well let’s talk about no senior without Christmas first.
Ruiz: Okay so every year we pack these boxes and our seniors in the community rely upon us. They are homebound needy seniors, usually their living below poverty level. They don’t have family or they wouldn’t otherwise receive visitors during the holidays. These boxes are packed with necessities and each year they are left on our list unless they ask to be removed, which we don’t usually have that trouble. And every year they rely upon us to come to their door step and they’ll ration the necessities throughout the year.
Allen: And by necessities we’re talking about shampoo, we’re talking about laundry detergent, we’re talking about soap, and I’m sure there is some food in there as well.
Ruiz: Yes, you are correct. Any non-perishable items, canned goods. We try to do vegetables, something nutritious for them, protein bars. Something they can grab and go on the run between their doctor visits.
Allen: So these, um, let’s talk a little bit about these senior. These are senior citizens who many have, you may have come across, correct?
Ruiz: That is correct.
Allen: Okay so these are seniors who may have been a victim at some point and you may come across and know that they need help. And so they look forward to this visit every year and they actually, and you said they were below poverty level, so they need this assistance.
Ruiz: Yes, absolutely.
Allen: Okay so now let’s talk about the need. You are below donations, correct?
Ruiz: Yes, we are below. Donations are down this year more than past years.
Allen: So what are we looking for? Tell me.
Ruiz: The big-ticket item would be the Smart Wool socks to keep our seniors warm. One good pair of socks will help a lot.
Allen: So tell me about these socks are amazing. I’ve never heard of these socks and you said they could wear these socks for almost seven days?
Ruiz: Yes, they don’t need to be washed and that usually is a hard task for some of these senior citizens who can’t get up and do their own laundry. And playmakers have been a great donor in the past with offering one pair of Smart Wool socks. They are expensive, but they do last and you can literally go multiple days without washing them so it’s a great win for our seniors.
Allen: And I can imagine some of these seniors probably keep their heat turned down low in the winter.
Ruiz: Yes, absolutely.
Allen: Okay so the Smart Wool socks would be a great addition and monetary donations because buying these supplies for these boxes, and you’re looking to supply 350 boxes?
Ruiz: That is correct. The need has increased in our community so we’ve gone from 300 last year to 350 this year.
Allen: Okay and so for both men and women so let’s just throw the list out there and tell me exactly what you’re looking for and I know probably to make it easier for you, you’re looking for monetary donations?
Ruiz: Yes, that is correct because we have to buy 350 of each item and some of the big-ticket items are the Smart Wool socks, laundry detergent, mouthwash is a big deal, it’s very expensive. Some of them can’t brush their teeth daily so that helps as they’re going between appointments. We’ve got shampoo, conditioner at times, body wash. We don’t buy bars of soap because it’s hard for them to handle. So we do the body wash and any other things you can think of as far as cleaning products, hand sanitizer, the sanitizing wipes that can keep them healthy. Those are the products we are looking for.
Allen: So how are all these items gathered and then sorted?
Ruiz: So the exciting part is our event this year is on Wednesday, December 6th. But what happens two days prior, Lansing Fire has been our awesome host, and they will take us around in a racing, literally a racing trailer, and we’ll usually fill that twice. And we will pick up any donations in the community two days prior to that event so this year it’s going to be December 4th, Monday. And we will pick up any donations and any donations we don’t receive, we’ll actually go out and buy.
Allen: And so that’s December 4th, you’ll pick up any donations?
Ruiz: That is correct.
Allen: Okay and then December 6th is when all the packing is done?
Ruiz: That is correct.
Allen: Okay so who packs all these boxes?
Ruiz: So we have volunteers that come out of the wood works. It’s pretty awesome. Once people come once to the event, they come every year and so they look forward to it. So it’s literally word of mouth. We’ll have people that have attended in the past, they’ll bring their friends, they’ll bring family members. It’s even growing. We’ll have schools that participate in this event as far as providing monetary donations. Lansing Catholic High School has been awesome, every year they have helped out and provided products or donations.
Allen: And what about… do the volunteers actually interact with the seniors?
Ruiz: The, some volunteers do, the ones that go on delivery. So the volunteers that show up to Lansing fire station on Marshall street will actually help organize and pack the boxes and then the boxes are delivered in police cars and firetrucks only so it’s by public servants and the seniors know it’s safe to open their doors on that day because we’ve called in advance or knocked on their door to let them know that we are coming.
Allen: And that is an important factor as well?
Ruiz: It is for their safety.
Allen: Because they need to know that, right? I mean that’s an important thing because of their history and just because I’m sure that at this point in their lives they need to know that they’re safe.
Ruiz: That is correct. We want to make sure that they don’t open their door for strangers.
Allen: And so how many officers and how many volunteers are involved in this whole project?
Ruiz: We usually, on the day of the event, we have 140 plus volunteers that’ll show to the fire station, again word of mouth. Again, it’s not usually us making personal contact with people, but it’s the people who have been there in the past that, again, will show up and bring other family members. Law enforcement and fire, that’s the unique part about Tri County Triad, normally the nationally recognized triad is law enforcement, community and seniors working together. Tri County Triad has included our fire personal. We know that our first responders, they are the ones to have the information and to usually know who’s in need. So that has been a great partner for us. The Tri County police and fire are involved, so if you think of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties, we have law enforcement and fire that will show from all of those agencies.
Allen: And this is one of the few in Michigan, correct?
Ruiz: This is the largest of police and fire charity in Michigan, correct.
Allen: So do you get calls from other areas in Michigan?
Ruiz: We do get calls from other areas, and for a while we serviced Shiawassee and Jackson counties as well. And MSU police department, kudos to them, they were nice enough to go out and deliver those boxes.
Allen: So we are getting down to the wire. We need to get some donations and you need the help because these seniors are seniors that have been with the program for years, you said.
Ruiz: Yes
Allen: So they look forward to it, and not only do they look forward to it, but they need it.
Ruiz: Yes, they rely upon our delivery.
Allen: Okay so tell me what people can do and how they can find more about this project.
Ruiz: So monetary donations can be sent online to Tri County Triad via Facebook or the web. There’s a you caring page that is up there right now. Or they can mail checks to Tri County Triad at P.O. box 26182 Lansing, MI 48909.
Allen: Okay and as far as the volunteer aspect, you said that’s more of a public service thing. It’s only you that volunteers and delivers those packages because they need to feel safe.
Ruiz: The deliveries are done by police and fire vehicles and sometimes our volunteers will ride in those cars with them.
Allen: Okay, all right, well best of luck to you. Thank you so much for joining us and we hope that every senior has a very merry Christmas and thank you for all that you do.
Ruiz: Thank you, Brooke.
