How the idea initially came to be...
The summer after sixth grade, Colette attended a Girls' Leadership Camp. The main project at the camp was to find something you were passionate about and then create an initiative to address the issue or do something good for others. After some brainstorming, Colette decided on bringing joy to seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. At the camp, she worked at creating a full-blown plan to start the organization. However, that same year, the Coronavirus pandemic started and Colette was unable to follow through with her plans for the next two years. Once everything started to get back to normal in late 2021, she leaped at the opportunity to follow through with her idea, recruiting her younger brother to officially start Siblings for Seniors.
In addition to getting the initial idea at the summer camp, Siblings for Seniors was founded because of Colette and Anthony's understanding of the impact kindness and compassion can have on someone. Even though their maternal grandmother lived with them, Colette and Anthony didn't grow up with any other grandparents around. Their maternal grandfather passed away before Colette was born, their paternal grandfather passed away when they were both very young, and their paternal grandmother lives on the West Coast where frequent visits aren't easy. However, Colette and Anthony were able to see other elderly relatives at family gatherings and truly appreciated being able to spend time with them. They would share laughter and listen to stories, and after every visit, Colette and Anthony's family waved goodbye with beaming smiles on their faces. In their experiences, they found that older folks really enjoy the company of youth. This sparked the realization in the siblings that so many seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilites might not have the ability to see their grandchildren or families very often. If they could bring some joy to their relatives' lives, then they could do the same for other seniors. This all tied in with Colette's intial idea from summer camp. Thus, Siblings for Seniors was officially founded in 2021, impacting the lives of seniors, two hearts at a time.
siblingsforseniors@gmail.com
Our team
Colette G. - Founder and President
Hi! My name is Colette. I am 17 years old and in the twelfth grade. My parents raised me to be a kind, empathetic, and compassionate person and taught me the value of giving back. I've always wanted to make a difference in people's lives, and I am very grateful that I am able to impact so many people through Siblings for Seniors. Besides working with Anthony on this initiative, I love photography, filmmaking, playing the piano and electric guitar, reading, and writing. I've also always had a love for live theater, from acting in school and camp productions to seeing Broadway shows. Colette lives with her mom, dad, brother, and grandma.
Anthony G. - Co-Founder/Vice President
Hello! My name is Anthony. I am 14 years old and I am in the ninth grade. I've always enjoyed being with seniors. I am lucky enough to have had my grandmother live with us since before I was born, and I love spending time with my great-aunts who are in their 90s. It warms my heart to spend time with them and make them smile. In my spare time, I love coding my own games, sports, and swimming. I have also been doing mixed martial arts for a few years now and I really enjoy it. I also enjoy trying new things such as being involved in Siblings for Seniors; it makes me happy to know I am making a difference in someone's life. Anthony lives with his mom, dad, sister, and grandma.