BAVINA SOOKDEO
As Christmas approaches, the spirit of giving and connection finds its way into the hearts of many, and the Adopt a Christmas Grandpal initiative by Bridges to the Heart exemplifies this beautifully.
Bridges to the Heart is a registered non-profit organisation based in Petit Bourg. It is dedicated to fostering relationships with overlooked, vulnerable and under-served communities and populations in society through compassionate service, education and advocacy.
Dr Sasha Bernard, founder of the organisation, said, “Since our inception in 2013, we have been working on restoring the relational gap between the elderly and youth of our society.”
[caption id="attachment_1123590" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Board of Bridges to the Heart: Justin Matthew, left. Jenester McKnight-Charles, Sasha Bernard, Rayann Modeste-Leach and Cryston Lewis. -[/caption]
The idea of the initiative was born during the early days of the covid19 pandemic in 2020. As Bernard and Rayann Modeste-Leach, the organisation’s administrative director, explained, “At that time our main project was our flagship project – Adopt a Grandparent.
"However, with the government restrictions and just taking social responsibility, we stopped visiting the senior citizens’ homes with our (usual) monthly visits. We had to pivot and wanted to find a way to keep in contact with the residents, while still ensuring their health and safety.”
This led to the creation of Adopt a Grandpal – a play on the traditional penpal system with a holiday twist. Launched in July 2020, the overwhelming response encouraged a relaunch that December, establishing it as a Christmas tradition.
Now in its fourth year, the project continues to flourish.
Modeste-Leach explained, “The vibe of the project seemed a little more aligned to Christmas, though and having it as a seasonal project also helped us sustain it more easily. So we’ve kept it as a Christmas-time initiative, even more so that we have returned to ‘normal’ and are able to visit the homes once again.
[caption id="attachment_1123587" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Rayann Modeste-Leach with young participants during a Christmas Road Trip. -[/caption]
“Each year, people are just as excited as they were the year before. The support hasn’t wavered, which is our most memorable highlight.”
How do you adopt a grandpal?
So what does the project consist of? She explained, “Participants 'adopt' grandpals – residents of senior citizens’ homes – by sending handwritten cards brimming with love, encouragement and festive cheer.
“We post lists of grandpals on our social media pages and people can select who they feel a connection with based on names, interests, or ages. People can choose any grandpal that they like and any number of grandpals. They do not have to make a request – they can just write to the grandpal(s) and drop off the letters at Shoeaholics locations.
“A lot of people wonder about what we mean by 'adopt.' We always have to be clear that no, you are not taking these residents into
