Our History
1985
In 1985, our spirit was born when Seniors Secret Service Founder Donna Jones was volunteering as a “friendly visitor” at a care facility. Donna realized many of the seniors she encountered had few friends and family to provide the support that was needed. That year, she arranged to receive the names of ten isolated residents and suggested ‘wish lists’ from care workers. The sense of fulfillment she felt that Christmas remained with her throughout the year, inspiring her to continue her gift-giving the following Christmas. The cheer spread quickly into the organization that exists today, which serves dozens of facilities and thousands of isolated seniors.
2006
In 2006, the Birthday Cheer Program was piloted as a means to fill the year-round need. The response to this program was tremendous, leading to its official launch in 2008.
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2017
In 2017 the Emergency Care Program was launched.
Sometimes seniors face situations where they are moved suddenly, either to care facilities or for medical treatment. We provide Emergency Care gifts to seniors who need essentials such as PJs, toothbrushes, socks, slippers, etc. Our goal is to brighten these challenging moments of transition.
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2020
In 2020, the Spring Cheer Program was launched.
The program’s aim is to deliver gifts to seniors to spread cheer throughout the year. Whether it’s gift cards, handmade artwork from elementary school volunteers, or other treats, we want our seniors to feel thought of and appreciated all year.
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Today
Since 2007, we have delivered over 35,000 Birthday Cheer presents and tens of thousands of Christmas Cheer presents.
We delivered over 6700 gifts for Christmas 2025.