Heartland Heroes: Omaha woman hosts free holiday shopping events for memory care residents

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - An Omaha woman is on a mission to ensure elderly residents in memory care facilities have the chance to go shopping for holiday gifts for their loved ones.

“They’re kind of stuck in here. In memory care, they don’t get out to go shopping very often,” said Sandie Yeaman, Founder of Gwen’s Gift.

Yeaman and her team of about 30 volunteers collect gift donations from community members and businesses all year long.

During November and December, they host free shopping events inside memory care homes throughout the Omaha-metro.

“It gives them that feeling of nostalgia. These are the people that wrapped our Christmas presents and stood in line for the Cabbage Patch Dolls. It’s what they’ve always known,” told Yeaman.

The team recently hosted a free shopping day at Westgate Assisted Living in Omaha. It was one of ten events they’ll put on this holiday season.

“They can shop for whoever they want. Their roommates, their favorite nurses, their families, if they have 14 grandkids, they get something for every child,” explained Yeaman.

The goal is to empower the residents to be present with their family and friends during the holidays. “They don’t have to sit over in the corner and watch everything going on at Christmas. They’re actually engaged, they can say ‘oh look, this is what grandpa picked out for you,’” said Yeaman.

Yeaman got the idea five years ago, after visiting a friend in a memory care facility, named Gwen Rosholm.

“I went in to visit her one day and she said I’m stuck in here; I can’t go shopping for my family. Will you go shopping for my family for me? And I said, well yeah, I can do that,” told Yeaman.

That year Yeaman brought in items from her own home for Gwen to gift to her family members. Others at Gwen’s facility wanted to “shop” as well, so she started bringing in more gifts and putting on events.

“It is wonderful. They laugh, they cry,” said Yeaman.

Yeaman, who is 75 years old, even got a part-time job at PetSmart to help pay for the gifts. Although, she said it is the generosity of the Omaha community and her volunteers that make it all possible.

“It just amazes me you know in the times that we’re in right now that people are so willing to give,” said Yeaman.

Gwen died this year at 96 years old, so Yeaman named her organization “Gwen’s Gift” in her memory.

It’s a sentiment Gwen’s daughter, Denise Fackler, is touched by. She came to the Westgate event to witness the shopping event herself.

“When I walked in here today it just choked me up that she did all of this and named it after my mom. She’d love it, absolutely love it,” said Fackler.

Gwen’s Gift has helped more than 1,200 residents living in memory care homes. Yeaman’s goal is to soon make Gwen’s Gift a 501(c)(3) and start a website.

She would eventually like to see the organization go national.

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