The Latino Elder Outreach Network (LEON) this week surprised 400 isolated seniors in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Isla Visa, Santa Maria and Lompoc with goodie bags and Valentine’s Day cards to share a message of support during the pandemic.
LEON is exploring the expansion of its network to North County and used the opportunity to introduce itself to seniors and organizations in Lompoc and Santa Maria.
“For almost a year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the senior community is more isolated than ever before,” said co-chair Marco Quintanar. “The LEON Caravan Event strives to alleviate that isolation, providing the senior community with small gifts, information on resources available for them, and the assurance that we are here to help.”
Volunteers safely delivered goodie bags to seniors that included donated items from local organizations, and information about senior services. The event was sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging; Lompoc Valley Medical Center; Mi Vida Mi Voz; Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a program of Family Service Agency; and Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services.
LEON is a volunteer collaboration, which seeks to engage and empower the Latino community, and all the senior communities, educating the public about the needs of and resources available for seniors in Santa Barbara County. Current membership includes representatives from nonprofit, public and private entities. For more information, visit https://leonsb.org/member-organizations.