Updated November 30, 2012
Due to an overwhelming response, all the Day Home families have been adopted! If you would still be interested in helping, our families often struggle to keep their families fed. We would appreciate gift cards to grocery stores so our families can purchase food for a nice holiday meal. Any gift cards for stores are welcome, actually. We will distribute them accordingly so the families and their children can select items they really need (warm jackets, shoes, etc.)
For many of us the holiday season isn’t just about decorating our homes, wrapping gifts, and a special meal with family and friends. The holidays are also a time for us to share our blessings with those less fortunate. Saint Vincent’s invites generous organizations and individuals to “Adopt a Family” from the Day Home to ensure their Christmas becomes a little merrier.
This year we have over 145 families at the Day Home who will have a much happier holiday because of your kindness. Families range from two to seven members.
For those interested in participating, we’ll provide the family member’s first names, ages and genders, plus a bit of information about their situation. Since this is a surprise for the families, we do not have wish lists.
You’re free to purchase any type of gift that you think would make the family happy. But we do ask that no war toys or perishables be given. If you purchase clothing, it is helpful to include a gift receipt, in case the family needs to exchange clothing for a different size.
We ask for presents not to be wrapped. Instead, include wrapping paper and boxes with your gifts so that parents have the opportunity to participate in their child’s Christmas celebration.
Gift cards are also practical for our families, and are a good option if you don’t have much time to shop. Some suggestions for gift certificates include Target, Sears, Toys R Us, J C Penney’s, etc., or grocery stores such as Safeway, or Pak’n’Save. Our Family Learning Program encourages parents to share books with our children and teach them the value of reading, so picture books or gift certificates to a bookstore such as Barnes & Noble would also be suitable.
We ask that your gifts be labeled with the name for whom the gift is intended and then dropped off at Saint Vincent’s Day Home no later than Wednesday, December 19, 2012. This gives us time to let parents bring home the gifts without the children’s knowledge.