Home Instead Senior Care of Hunterdon and Warren Counties enlisted volunteers and the community at large to spread holiday cheer this December to some of the region’s most vulnerable citizens: seniors and veterans.

In addition to Home Instead’s national effort, “Be a Santa to a Senior,” the local office hosted “Be a Santa to a Veteran.”

More than 500 gifts were collected in all.

Shoppers seeking to be a Santa to a veteran were able to shop at various locations for these special gifts, adorned with American flag stickers. On Wednesday, Dec. 14, members of the Home Instead staff then brought the gifts, which volunteers collected and wrapped, to Veteran’s Haven North in Glen Gardner.

Veteran’s Haven North is a transition housing program for homeless veterans.

Many local shops and organizations carried the program’s gift tags, including Blairstown United Methodist Church, Brookfield Glen Condos in Belvidere, Gymnastics Unlimited in Flemington, Kristina Michele Salon in Hackettstown, Kumon Center of Branchburg, Little Bears Learning Center in Washington, National Kitchen & Bath Association  in Hackettstown, North Warren Pharmacy in Blairstown, Panther Valley Pharmacy in Allamuchy, Print Plus in Stewartsville, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Phillipsburg, and Warren County Pharmacy and Warrren Hills Regional High School in Washington.