Adopt - A - Family Christmas Program

The Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program is sponsored by AFL-CIO Community Services. This program began in 1983 with 25 families being adopted for Christmas that first year. The goal of the program is to serve everyone who needs assistance during the holiday season.

The Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program is designed to help needy families and individuals within the St Joseph area enjoy the Christmas holidays. Christmas can be a very stressful time for many people. Many children might not know the joy of finding a present from Santa Clause on Christmas morning if it wasn't for the volunteers who make the Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program possible.

Who needs the program?

Not sure how you are going to afford a Christmas present for your child this year?

Are you going to be facing the holiday season alone?

Will you and your family need assistance in order to have a joyful Christmas season?

The Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program can help. This program is for people in your situation. Each year the Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program helps hundreds of requests for assistance in our area. Since the program's inception over 54,000 people have been helped. Last year, 2,496 people in our community were adopted for Christmas.

To apply for help:

Applications will be taken from families and individuals needing help for Christmas at the AFL-CIO Community Services office, 1203 North 6th Street

Sign up begins Thursday, November 12, 2009 and ends Friday, December 18, 2009

1:00 to 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday

9:00 am to 1:00 pm Fridays

Except Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27

You must bring the following documents or your application will not be taken.

All documents must be for current or previous month.

    1. Social security cards for each member of household

    2. Proof of all income – earned wages, TANF, child support, SSI,         Social Security, pensions, etc.

    3. Utility bills – lights, gas, water, phone, trash, etc.

    4. All other expenses - food, credit cards, prescriptions, etc.

    5. Rent or mortgage receipt showing your name & address, &         your landlord/mortgage co. name and phone number

    6. Clothing and shoe sizes for every member of household

    7. List of special foods, clothing or household needs

    8. A wish list for Santa from each child (3 items maximum)

A $2.00 application fee is required to cover the cost of processing.

IMPORTANT: Please DO NOT bring any children when applying!

How Can I Help?

Become an Adopter

You can help in a variety of ways. You may choose to personally adopt a family or individual and experience the excitement of shopping for them. The Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program provides the donors with clothing sizes and other indiviualized requests to assist the donor in selecting items for the adoptees. What and how much you give to your adopted family is up to you. You also have the choice of whether you want to actual meet your adopted family or remain anonymous.

Don't have time to shop? You can still help by making a monetary donation to the Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program. Our agency will purchase gift certificates and food baskets for those families not personally chosen for adoption. Food, clothing, toys and other household necessities are also graciously accepted and wil be given to these individuals as well.