Mother/daughter duo spread holiday joy to seniors across Simcoe County
An Alliston mother-and-daughter duo who call themselves the 'The Nice Ninjas' is making seniors in Simcoe County feel extra special this holiday season with an initiative that started three years ago.
Shannon Kastner and her daughter Senna started 'The Kindness Project,' and soon shifted their focus to seniors during the holidays.
A mother and daughter duo from Alliston, Ont., compile hundreds of cards to give to seniors during the holidays. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
"During COVID, I know a lot of people couldn't see their families, and we really felt that - we felt lonely, we were missing people, and we thought that they would be as well, and it just keeps going because you never know if people have family if people can't have visitors. So, we just want to make people smile and know that they're thought about," said Shannon.
The 'Nice Ninjas' create holiday cards and small gift bags for seniors across the region, with the numbers increasing every year.
"I think we started off with probably three centres, and now we're at five or six different centres at least, if not more. Last year was about 560 gifts and cards we were able to get to everybody," Shannon said.
A mother and daughter duo from Alliston, Ont., collect gifts to give to seniors during the holidays. (CTV News/Molly Frommer)
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
So far, more than 400 cards have been created for residents at various centres in the area, and each bag consists of multiple items.
"We do gloves, hats, candies, crossword puzzles, adult colouring books, coloured pencils, slipper socks and just stuff like that," said Shannon.
One location receiving these gift bags during the holiday season is Aspira Kingsmere Retirement Home in Alliston.
"Quite a few of our resident's families are far away, so the staff and those around them become family, and having someone come in and actually gift them with something and give them that little bit of attention and acknowledgement during the Christmas season. It's something that's very enduring to them, and they certainly love it," said Marlene Robertson with Aspira Kingsmere Retirement Home.
The 'Nice Ninjas' will collect items until December 15 and can be contacted through Facebook or Instagram. The following week, all centres will receive their holiday cards and gifts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Mother's Day movies that pull at ALL the heartstrings
This Mother's Day Weekend, take a look at some of the most emotional movies inspired by moms.
Suspect sought after fatal slashing in downtown Toronto
Police are searching for a suspect in a homicide investigation after a man was slashed in downtown Toronto on Sunday.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.