Gracefully Giving Back Spreads Valentine's Day Joy at Madison House
NORFOLK, NE — Local non-profit organization Gracefully Giving Back brought Valentine's Day cheer to residents at Madison House, combining the sweetness of decorated cookies with the joy of live music. This heartwarming event is part of the organization's monthly visitation program that reaches seven nursing homes in the area.
Volunteers worked alongside residents to decorate heart-shaped cookies with festive frosting and sprinkles, creating not just treats but meaningful moments of connection. The afternoon was made even more special with live musical performances that had residents singing along to classic love songs.
"These monthly visits are about more than activities — they're about creating connections and bringing joy to our senior community members," said Betty Lopez, founder of Gracefully Giving Back. "Seeing residents light up when they hear familiar tunes or proudly display their decorated cookies makes every minute worthwhile."
Madison House is one of seven local facilities that Gracefully Giving Back visits monthly, offering various engaging activities and entertainment programs.
Gracefully Giving Back Delivers Holiday Cheer and Gifts to Nursing Home Residents
NORFOLK, NE — Gracefully Giving Back, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, launched a community-wide Christmas gift drive to bring holiday joy to every nursing home resident in the Norfolk area. Working with local businesses and shoppers, the organization placed decorated Christmas trees at locations around the city — each adorned with gift tags representing a resident in need of a holiday gift.
Shoppers selected tags, purchased gifts, and returned them to be wrapped and hand-delivered by Gracefully Giving Back volunteers. The drive covered Madison facilities, the Norfolk Veterans Home, and every nursing home in the area, with an ambitious goal of reaching every resident.
"No senior should feel forgotten during the holidays," said co-founder Betty Lopez. "This is our way of showing that this community cares deeply about the people who helped build it."
The initiative drew matching contribution pledges from donors within the community. Volunteers wrapped and delivered packages in the days leading up to Christmas.
New Nonprofit Launches in Norfolk to Enrich Lives of Seniors and Veterans
NORFOLK, NE — A new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Gracefully Giving Back, has launched in Norfolk with a mission to enhance the lives of seniors and veterans living in local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Founded by Betty Lopez and Shad Buchanan, the organization was born from a simple but powerful idea: that the same community spirit that raised a generation of children should be turned back toward the elders who made it possible.
"It takes a village to raise children — but does anybody think about senior citizens anymore?" said Buchanan, who brings more than 25 years of experience in the senior care industry. Lopez and Buchanan connected while he was volunteering as Santa Claus for a terminally ill friend of Lopez's.
The group is governed by a four-person board including Lopez, Buchanan, Barbara Stahlecker, and Emma Duran, and is supported by approximately 17 ambassadors and volunteers. Activities already underway include distributing more than 650 cards to nursing homes on Mother's Day and Father's Day, organizing music and pet therapy visits, coordinating manicures with local nail technicians, and building six community benches in partnership with Maximum Construction.
Gracefully Giving Back has also partnered with youth from The Zone to create special items for veterans. A formal community reception was held November 9, 2023, at Black Cow Fat Pig Pub & Steakhouse in Norfolk.
"We just want them to be able to age with dignity and grace," said Lopez. "We want to show them that people out there haven't forgotten them — that they're important and they're loved."