Maria is a housekeeper at Merrill Gardens at Ballard in Seattle and she is known for her compassion. She wanted to find a way to make move in a special time for residents - something that would be fun and let the residents know she was thinking about them.
That's when she came up with her plan to create a towel animal as a welcome home greeting for every new resident. After learning how to fold towel animals on you tube, she started making these sweet little bears. (Click HERE for a video on how to make a towel bear if you want to give it a shot!)
Maria understands it's the little things that can make the difference for residents. She knows that some residents don't have many family or friends to visit and since most of her family is in Mexico and she only sees them once a year, she can relate. Maria says she is always looking for ways to make residents smile!
It doesn't end with the adorable bears – Maria also put together special treats for every resident for Christmas and New Year's Eve along with a personal note.
That's what we call embracing the Merrill Gardens mission - way to go Maria!