Long Island Mother, Son Deliver Goodie Bags To Elderly To Spread Kindness During Pandemic
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A mother and son from Long Island are helping provide smiles for seniors - one goodie bag at a time.
It's a labor of love for the pair from Port Washington, CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported.
Four-year-old Miles Posner has a big mission. He's helping his mom, Alison, pack up the car with their latest batch of goodie bags. But they're not for kids.
"Who are they for?" Grymes asked.
"Older people," Miles said.
These bags contain playing cards and a joke.
"Why do we never tell jokes about pizza?" Miles said. "Because they're too cheesy."
They're guaranteed to bring joy to patients at a nursing facility in Roslyn Heights.
Miles and his mom have made nearly two dozen drop-offs at similar spots on Long Island.
They started right before Valentine's Day, after Alison Posner's grandmother was in the hospital.
"The idea that it was just a week for her, whereas, for some people, it's been a year since they've seen their loved ones. That really kind of stuck with me," Posner said. "I wanted to do something to just bring levity and put a smile on people's faces."
From there, the goodie bag project, called "A Bushel and a Peck," was born. So far, the family has given out nearly 1,000 of them, to let the elderly know they're not alone.
"Each bag has Hershey Kisses because of my grandmother, who's 96. She loves chocolate," said Posner. "And then the project is called "A Bushel and a Peck" because that's what my other grandmother, who passed away in 2018, used to sing to Miles on FaceTime. So it's, like, to remember her. And every one has a joke because my grandpa had a great sense of humor."
It's a way for the younger generation to honor family and learn valuable life lessons.
"I just wanted to teach kindness, and thinking of others, and empathy," said Posner.
All while spreading light during these dark, pandemic days.
The family started out buying all the supplies for the goodie bags themselves, but have since gotten donations as word spread.
If you'd like to donate, click here.
