A former University of Arkansas at Little Rock employee is helping to bring the holiday spirit to the residents of local nursing homes and looking for volunteers to adopt a grandparent for Christmas. 

Rosalyn Miller, former conference services manager at UA Little Rock and current advisor to the UA Little Rock Delta Sigma Theta sorority, will deliver gift bags to the residents of Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at Good Shepherd in Little Rock and Elmcroft of Maumelle.

“This holiday season, I’m utilizing my business to give back to the community through a program called ‘Adopt-A-Grandparent,’ Miller said. “My Mary Kay unit is putting together small gifts for elderly residents in local care homes. Many of these residents do not receive gifts or visits during the holidays. To know that some residents have no visits, but especially during Christmas, really makes me want to do something to change that.”

Members of the UA Little Rock Delta Sigma Theta sorority will help Miller deliver the gift bags to nursing home residents in December. The gift bags will contain Mary Kay lotions, fuzzy socks or warm gloves, holiday ornaments and cards made by volunteers, and other sweet treats to soften the season for the residents.

Miller’s effort to spread holiday cheer to the residents began four years ago. It has grown from providing gift bags for 80 residents at Good Shepherd in 2016 to 115 in 2017. This year, Miller expanded the effort to a second nursing home, Elmcroft of Maumelle.

“I’ve had numerous relatives who have been residents in this particular facility,” Miller said. “I actually left my job in Washington, D.C. years ago to return to Arkansas to take care of my aging parents. I saw there were plenty of residents who had no family or friends to come in to visit them. I thought this is a good way that I can let them know that there are people in the community who care.”

Anyone interested in helping can donate $20, which will cover the cost of one gift bag. Each donor’s name, city, and state will be attached to a gift bag.

“I just feel very passionate about making sure that those people who don’t have family to visit at the holidays know someone is going to reach out and show them some love,” Miller said. “I look forward to doing it every year, and I hope others will join me in this effort.”

For more information, contact Miller at 501-231-4248 or rosalynmillermk@gmail.com.