Share the Holidays "Adopt a Family"

Save to Favorites

"Every year as the holidays roll around, the mothers in the families we serve are filled with a mixture of excitement and dread. Excitement because the holidays are a magical time of twinkling lights, seasonal decorations and celebrating with friends. And there is the dread of wondering where the extra money will come from to purchase those items the children are already starting to dream and talk about with their friends. One mom told me that she sets money aside all year so that at Christmas she can by each of her kids a new pair of pajamas and hopefully a pair of shoes but by Christmas sometimes the money is still there but often it isn't.

Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services is a non- profit community organization serving the needs of Deaf and Deaf-Blind victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in King County. October 15 to December 26th every year we organize an event called "Share the Holidays" Adopt a family. During this time we match up the families we serve with community donors who purchase gifts and necessary items for the children in the families. We provide donors with a wish list from the family size of their choosing. For donors unable to adopt a family, we ask for gift cards of any amount to popular stores like Target, Fred Meyer, Wal-Mart or donations of fresh or canned food. and small apartment sized pre-lit Christmas trees.

"Having coordinated this program for many years, I will never forget the pride on the faces of the kids who come in with their parents to deliver gifts for another, less fortunate family and then there are the smiling faces of the kids who receive gifts they never expected to get. For me this is what the holidays are all about."