ThisWeek CW 11/18/2015
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/11/16/meeting-community-needs-more-requests-expected-for-adopt-a-family-program.html
With the holiday season fast approaching, many families in need will turn to Canal Winchester Human Services Adopt-a-Family program to help bring a little cheer to what otherwise could be a stressful time.
The annual program administered by Human Services assisted 320 people last year. Administrator Penny Miller anticipates an even greater need this year, based on the increased number of families requesting help from the Community Food Pantry.
“Requests for emergency assistance have increased and the number of people using the Community Food Pantry keeps growing,” Miller said. “Many of the folks we are serving are employed, but there is not enough in their paychecks to cover all of the basic needs of their families. The holidays add additional stress and they turn to Human Services to help get them through.”
The Adopt-A-Family Program provides a variety of assistance, including food, winter clothing and Christmas gifts, she said.
“Certainly, the fun of Christmas is providing toys, but our program is much more,” Miller said. “If a child has new toys but returns to school wearing clothes that don’t fit, shoes with holes, and has no winter coat, we have failed that child.
“Our program is much more than just what Santa might put under the tree.”
All children in the program will receive new clothes and shoes, as well as a few wishes from their list.
Everyone seeking assistance will be able to take good, used coats for all members of their family, along with hats and mittens. Each family will also receive a food basket to help them through the holidays.
To meet the goals of the Adopt-A-Family program, Human Services is asking for community support and donations.
“We need everything,” Miller said. “We need children to be ‘adopted,’ contributions of toys — which can be given to Santa during Christmas in the Village — donations of food and household items for food baskets, and good used coats with new hats and mittens.
“We also need donations of gift cards and financial contributions to help support the 30 to 40 children we may not be able to find sponsors for,” she added. “This is the biggest seasonal project we coordinate each year and we need everything.”
Adopt-A-Family is available to residents of the Canal Winchester School District, Lithopolis and qualified, underserved Bloom Carroll families living in rural Fairfield County.
Applications to participate in the program are available on Human Services’ website, cwhumanservices.org, or can be picked up at the Frances Steube Community Center, 22 S. Trine St., or at the Community Food Pantry, 360 W. Waterloo St. The deadline for submitting applications is Nov. 30.
Those who want to support the program should email Miller at penny.cwhs@gmail. com. Financial donations to Canal Winchester Human Services are tax-deductible.