There’s a Santa’s Workshop of sorts at the Bristol Senior Center, and it’s about to get very busy.

Several rooms on the second floor of the center are cleared out and ready to be filled with donations for the Foster a Senior holiday drive. One room is already filling up with treats, puzzles, blankets, and other items to distribute to local seniors.

The project is the brainchild of Donna Wilson, the center’s assistant director. On a recent Friday, she was talking and laughing with seniors at the center’s daily lunch and explaining how this program will come together in the remaining days before Christmas. Even during a brief conversation, donations were coming in.

They are hoping to start delivering this week. “But I  know that some people wait until the last minute to make donations; they’re getting things for their kids first,” she said. “I understand. I’m flexible.”

Recipients are seniors in need as well as seniors who are alone for the holidays. Ms. Wilson gets names from housing authorities, churches, friends and family, to help identify those who belong on her ever-growing list.

“A lot of people forget about seniors. They’re busy taking care of children,” said Ms. Wilson. “But the seniors and the children are the bookends of our town. Seniors … that’s where I come in.”

It’s literally tons of work, organizing the names and donations, then coordinating the deliveries, which Ms. Wilson does herself, with a crew of kids — her own included — dressed up like elves.

“I deliver every single package with the kids. We go door to door, and it’s just the greatest thing, because when you show up they are so excited,” she said. “They ask, ’Is this for me? Do I open it now? Do I wait for Chrismas?’ Then they ask who game us their name.

“And I tell them: Santa did!”

Foster a Senior served 75 seniors in its first year, a little more than 100 in its second, and 200 in its third. Ms. Wilson is hoping to reach 300 seniors this year. “I know eventually it will get so big I won’t be able to go to every home,” she said wistfully.

Ms. Wilson credits her grandmother for leading her down this path of elder service, not just at the holidays, but all year long. “I come from a big Portuguese family, and my grandmother used to take me to visit the older generation,” she said. “It instilled a desire in me to reach out to seniors.”

Ms. Wilson and her elves will be wrapping and delivering, almost right up until Christmas. The sooner the better, of course, but she says she can take donations up until Dec. 20. Simple things like robes, blankets, candies, toiletries, and gift cards are most welcome. Donations can be wrapped or unwrapped (though labeled if wrapped); gift cards are best in $20 or $25 denominations.

“Ask yourself what you would buy your grandparents?” Ms. Wilson said. “And you can also make your donation in their memory.”

Want to help? Drop off any gifts or donations between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. between now and Friday, Dec. 20, at the Bristol Senior Center, 1020 Hope St. For more information, call 401/253-8458 or visit Bristolsrctr.com.

“I want every community to have something like this,” said Ms. Wilson, “to tell seniors they haven’t been forgotten.”