Carmel Woman Makes Time to Brighten a Senior’s Holiday

Kim Borges juggles a lot of things in life. She has a demanding job that often takes her on the road marketing the good things Regions Bank is doing throughout 15 states. She serves on boards for the CICOA Foundation, Second Helpings and Dress for Success, and she volunteers for the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure. Yet, Borges can’t imagine not giving half a day to deliver holiday baskets to CICOA clients.

It’s become a holiday tradition for nearly 10 years.

She teams up with a CICOA case manager, and together they – and dozens of other volunteers –  take totes stuffed with holiday foods and other small gifts to more than 700 CICOA clients who don’t have family around for the holidays. Inside the tote are a ham and produce, along with lots of non-perishables that will last through the winter. CICOA also delivers a poinsettia and pie with the tote.

“They are so grateful, yes for the tote, but also for someone checking in and caring about them, seeing how they are doing, what’s new, anything they need,” Borges said. “I just love it, and you go home and realize how fortunate you are. What a great way to spend the morning.”

Borges has known about CICOA and its services for more than two decades when, early in her career, she worked for the Arthritis Foundation.

“We referred a lot of callers to CICOA, because of their resources and comprehensive services,” she said.

After joining Regions about 10 years ago, a co-worker recommended Borges for the CICOA Foundation Board of Trustees, which she joined in 2007. It wasn’t until she began volunteering for the holiday program that she saw first-hand just how deep CICOA’s services run.

“I’m so impressed with the depth of knowledge the case managers have about their clients and how invested they are. It’s very personal for them,” Borges said. “CICOA people are the kind of people I’d want to look after my family members.”

Borges encourages others to consider getting involved.

“With this organization, there’s a role that anybody and everybody can play,” she said. “Maybe you can do a holiday basket delivery, or make phone calls to people who are homebound. Maybe you can write or call your representative for advocacy. Everyone has a way to make an impact.”