Every year, the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington runs Adopt-A-Family, a program that matches donors with local families whose children would not otherwise receive a gift over the holiday season.
Megan Harron, Program Director, explains,“Our kind donors support a family with a gift card for groceries and tangible gifts for their child or children.”
“This means that children in need not only have basic necessities, such as food on the table, but also receive something to brighten their day and help them feel hopeful for the future.”
Supporting over 1,500 families annually, the program collaborates with social-community agencies in Guelph and Wellington County, addressing barriers to holiday celebrations.
For children in Guelph and Wellington, this means that regardless of their circumstances – whether they are refugees settling into their new community or they are in low-income households – a festive celebration is made possible by the Adopt-A-Family program and its supporters.
Megan shares, “There is immense value for kids in feeling supported by their community. Perfect strangers step up to provide the love and support these families need over the holidays, right here in Guelph and Wellington.”
For recipients of the program, gifts completely transform the holidays and give them hope for the future.
One local mom wrote, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. The gifts for my son were so thoughtful. The clothes are perfect and he is going to [be ecstatic] when he sees the Pokemon kit you picked!”
This year, 1,500 families have found matches, which demonstrates the incredible support within our community.
However, 80 families are still waiting for their match this holiday season, and more emergency referrals are anticipated throughout December.
If you would like to help a local family, there are several easy ways to get involved. Visit the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington website, email [email protected] or call 519-826-9551 x 136 for more information on supporting a local family in need or making a small donation towards the program.
GuelphToday is proud to make a difference in our community by highlighting important organizations working to better our community.
The GuelphToday Cares team's mission is to create meaningful change in Guelph - and inspire others to do the same.
