BRYAN, Texas — Momentum Church BCS is hosting its 2nd Annual Elderly and NICU blanket and care package drive to benefit local nursing homes and Baylor Scott & White NICUs.
Shirley Bittner, event coordinator at Momentum Church BCS in Bryan, is helping fill the gap in our elderly and NICU community especially throughout the holidays.
“We just saw that there was such a need,” Bittner said. “When I would go visit my grandmother, there was so many people that weren’t getting visitors. They weren’t getting that attention and love, and you could just see their eyes would be filled up with tears.”
After doing toy drives for over a decade, Bittner got to the drawing board.
“I thought why not do something special for these people because they get forgotten,” said Bittner. “There are so many toy drives but there are hardly anything for the elderly and for the NICU as well.”
She found a way to bring joy to everyone.
“It’s very humbling when you go in and you get to experience this and how much it means to them, said Bittner. “One of the nursing homes called us back this year and asked ‘Can you please come back this year? It meant so much to us.’
Bittner says they currently have only 50 blankets but want to exceed last year’s goal to reach more nursing homes in our area.
“500 is our goal this year,” said Bittner. “Last year, we collected 400 so we want to get that extra nursing home in this year if we can. We definitely need to get the blankets rolling in because we kind of got a slow start this year and we need all the help we can get on that.”
Care package items are also needed in addition to new blankets.
“They really need things like lotion, body sprays, cross word puzzles, decks of cards, just simple items like that to give them something to do and make them feel loved and extra special,” said Bittner.
There will also be a live blanket drive Friday night at Casa Rodriguez in Downtown Bryan from 6-9 p.m. featuring The Grinch and Santa Claus and his elves — and while you’re there, you can continue to support our local businesses in town.
There’s still time to drop off blankets and care packages for the drive.
Momentum Church BCS has drop off locations between Bryan and College Station.
Drop off collections will stop Monday, Dec. 11 and Reveille will make a special guest appearance to help deliver the donations.