GUELPH – The Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington’s Adopt-A-Family team of elves have been hustling and bustling over the past two months, matching families referred to them by social workers with generous donors in the community.
With support from the community, organizers said they are “overjoyed to report that all 1,222 families referred by the deadline are now being helped.”
“Every year, it feels like a miracle to get all the families supported and we couldn’t do it without such a generous community,” says Karyn Kirkwood, program director.
“We have had to adopt 30 families ourselves with support from cash donors, gift drive and gift card donors; and we still need help to prepare for the 20 to 30 emergency family referrals we expect to support right up to the holiday break with donations of gift cards or cash.”
Families referred to the Adopt-A-Family Program have experienced a great deal of hardship in life.
One mother wrote, “I had lost all faith in humanity after what I had been through. The idea that strangers would give of themselves to make sure my kids had a Christmas was farfetched in my head.
“When the community worker came and brought me Christmas for my babies, I honestly sat on the steps and cried. With one gesture of kindness, my faith in humanity was restored.”
How to help
Donors can still participate by purchasing much-needed grocery gift cards as well as other gift cards to places like Stone Road Mall, Walmart, Cineplex and Tim Hortons.
And while the Adopt-A-Family program will be wrapping up soon, the need continues year-round and the Children’s Foundation is accepting donations through its year-end Double Double Challenge so that they can continue to give children and youth living in poverty opportunities to grow, develop and thrive.
The Double Double Challenge isn’t an ordinary giving campaign – the first $10,000 in donations will be matched by community sponsors for a total of $20,000 to kick off the year-end campaign.
To find out ways to help children and families in need, visit www.childrensfoundation.org or call the Children’s Foundation Adopt-A-Family Team at 519-829-0855.
