MISSOULA — Last year, the Families First Learning Lab team went to kids' classrooms all around Missoula and collected around 800 Valentine's for home-bound seniors.
This year, they've expanded, getting over 1,000 cards from kids ages 2-14. One card has a drawing of a soda can and reads, “You are SODA-lightful." Others are exploding with hearts or have long messages.
One card reads, “Hey, how are you? Although I don't know you, you seem like a wonderful, awesome caring person and even though this is through a card I'm giving you a Valentine's Day hug.”
The Valentine's made by kids have been packed assembly-line style and are ready for delivery to home-bound seniors.
MTN joined Missoula Food Bank ROOTS Program delivery driver, Gregg Asciutto for a drop-off. “Just there's a car up there, it's like a gold car we're gonna be pulling into there,” he said pointing forward while at a stop light.
Asciutto has been delivering for over 5 years. Sometimes, the only visit some seniors get are from delivery drivers. Asciutto makes it a point to create a personal connection and see how each person is doing.
“I do a route pretty much designed for me. I get to talk with people. I get to go visit people that are on my route and that have been consistently on my route. So, you get to know them. You get to say hi, you get to check in on them," he shared.
Spreading love is the basis of the whole program put on by Families First Learning Lab and the Missoula Food Bank’s Roots Program, which delivers groceries to people in need over 60 and fall within 130% of the poverty line.
Executive Director of Families First, Hannah Zuraff explained that the program is growing compassionate youth. “We really believe in the power of like belonging-ness and we think that comes through community."
Zuraff finds joy in watching the kids put their hearts into the Valentine's. "Being able to connect these kids to an activity that promotes kindness and empathy and also doing something awesome for your neighbor... can really instill those values in children," she articulated.
February is a special delivery month for the Missoula Food Bank's ROOTS Program because of the Valentine's.
Manager of the ROOTS Program, Jamie Breidenbach detailed, "Our partnership with Families First that we get to do every year to add that little extra love to our deliveries in the month of February."
She continued, “You know, it just speaks to the love our community has for our aging neighbors. Currently, we have close to 475 people signed up for the program and that number is going up.”
Bags are also being delivered in Lake County this year. Families First worked with kids at Cherry Valley and Linderman Elementary to make cards for Tribal Elders and people in assisted living homes.
Additionally, this year includes extra delivery spots in Missoula. “We’re taking them to some of the assisted living centers, the Poverello Center, the VA clinic,” Zuraff listed.
So, many seniors both in Missoula and in Polson will be getting heartfelt messages this Valentine's Day.
Asciutto explained, “They like it because it's a personal touch. We're letting them know that we care. You know, we're just not doing this to do it. We do it because we want to and that we care about them, we care about their health.”
Click here for more information on Families First and the ROOTS program.
