Community members give back to class of 2020

JACKSON, Tenn. — The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact for the class of 2020 inspires West Tennesseans to act.

“When they decided that the schools were closed for the remainder of the semester, I started noticing seniors post about how upset they were. So, I just thought they needed some encouragement,” Facebook group admin Yonakura Jones said.

Seeing high school students reacting to the pandemic impact their senior year is prompting a Hardeman County woman to encourage others to take action now.

Yonakura Jones created the Facebook group — ‘Adopt a Senior in Tennessee.’

She says the idea came from looking through Facebook and seeing other places doing the same thing.

Adopting a senior involves sending them a gift.

“It’s like gift baskets or whatever the senior wants on their wish list or whatever the person that wants to adopt sends the senior,” Jones said.

She says, so far, the group reached more than 3,000 seniors across Tennessee, and there isn’t even an estimate on how many have been adopted.

“I really just thought that it was just going to reach Hardeman County, and Madison County, but it went far beyond that,” Jones said.

“I have received a lot of personal messages saying that they really enjoyed it, and it’s really uplifted their spirits,” Jones said.

“The best part is being able to put a smile on the seniors’ faces. That’s what it’s all about, it’s not about me, or me getting recognized,” Jones said, “it’s about about the seniors because they really deserve it.”

If you’re interested in adopting a senior, join the Facebook group or visit their newly created website.