Each year, Oakland Family Services’ Adopt A Family program helps ensure that children in need will have gifts and necessities like warm winter clothing during the holiday season. We are happy to share that no families went unmatched this year, and donors were able to build brighter holidays for 667 children from 286 families!

Each of the adopted families includes a client who is working closely with Oakland Family Services, whether they are receiving care through our mental health and substance use treatment programs, strengthening their parenting skills through our early childhood services, caring for children in our foster care program or attending preschool at one of our Children’s Learning Centers.

Because of the ongoing risks of the coronavirus pandemic, donors were asked to provide gift cards in lieu of presents this year in order to limit contact between donors, volunteers, staff and families, and to allow families to shop in whatever way is most accessible to them. Each family put together a family profile and wishlist of items they hoped to be able to purchase with their gift cards. The most commonly requested items were winter clothing, bedsheets, gas money, cleaning supplies, pots and pans, diapers and wipes, and personal care items like soap and shampoo.

Families picked up their gift cards during the week of Dec. 6, in time to get their shopping done and provide a warm, happy holiday season for their children.

“We are grateful to our donors for their generosity and providing ​brighter holidays for the families we serve,” said Katie Henwood, Oakland Family Services’ engagement and special events coordinator. “The program would not be possible without you! It's amazing to see so many wonderful people come together to help others. Your kindness means so much.”

We would also like to give an extra-large “thank you” to the following donors, who each adopted five families or more: Riveron, Beaumont Health System - Royal Oak Lab Department, Stellantis Power Train Group, Meritor, Ducker, St. Patrick Catholic Church of White Lake, Penske Automotive and Shelley Hulgrave, and Beaumont Hospital Troy.