Bird feeder project aims to brighten the days of Centre County nursing home residents

A local project aims to bring joy to some of Centre County’s hardest hit residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative is called the “Sponsor a Window” Bird Feeder project and its goal is to brighten up the days of people living in area long-term care facilities.

Project organizer Cindy Way works part-time at Hearthside Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in State College. Her inspiration for the project came from witnessing how COVID-19 restrictions are affecting residents. Since March, long-term care facilities have been closed to visitors, among other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Department of Health guidelines in place to protect the vulnerable population.

“We can’t do anything,” Way said. “We can’t do evening activities and our residents aren’t going out to eat in the dining room. We used to have 30 people doing puzzles and watching movies every night and now we can’t do any of that. So, I was trying to find something that they could enjoy.”

Way came up with the idea to install bird feeders near the windows of nursing homes as a way to cheer up residents stuck inside. She applied for a grant through 3 Dots, a local program that fosters creativity and innovation in the community. Way was chosen this month and awarded a $1,000 Awesome Grant to turn her idea into reality.

Spud Marshall, innovation director for 3 Dots, said his organization loves funding individual projects that are intended to help the broader community.

“We fund anybody that has a creative idea,” Marshall said. “You don’t have to have an organization. You don’t have to have all the details figured out. We really enjoy funding people who are willing to take a risk.”

Each month, 3 Dots selects a local grant recipient and awards them $1,000 for a project of their choosing. Applications are on a rolling basis and Marshall says the application process is quick and easy.

The grant allowed Way to purchase bird feeders, shepherd’s hooks, bird feed and small trash cans. She is now looking for volunteers to help install the feeders and help with the upkeep. More importantly, Way hopes the volunteers will use the time to interact with nursing home residents, even if through the window.

“When these folks have company or an activity, a visit, or anything like that, it can lift their spirits and get them in a better place emotionally,” Way said. “A little bit goes a really long way.”

Marshall is excited to see the outcome of the “Sponsor a Window” Bird Feeder project. He hopes to fund even more local proposals through 3 Dots as a way to build meaningful connections in the Centre Region.

“If we can help more people shift into the mindset where they see this town as a place they can actively contribute to and be active participants of, then it becomes a really active, vibrant, co-creative community,” said Marshall.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the project should visit the “Sponsor a Window” Bird Feeder project Facebook page.