This winter, you have the opportunity to partner with Oakland Family Services to provide a happy holiday for children and families in need. Each year, our Adopt A Family program identifies families we serve who could use help granting their children’s holiday wishes.

While typically donors would purchase and wrap gifts then deliver them to the agency, this year Oakland Family Services will again be collecting gift cards in lieu of gifts. This will allow families to shop for gifts in the manner of their choosing and help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 by limiting foot traffic onsite and reducing contact between staff, donors, volunteers and clients. We hope to be able to return to our traditional Adopt A Family protocol next year.

Last year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, generous donors were able to provide gift cards to more than 700 children from nearly 300 families in need through Oakland Family Services’ Adopt A Family program. Please help us recreate this holiday magic to give local children and families memories to cherish for years to come.

Many families we serve are working through difficult situations and must worry about scraping together something for tonight’s dinner or finding a safe place for their children to access the internet and do homework. Forecasting for holiday season expenses simply may not be possible.

Adopt A Family will serve families just keeping their heads above water despite housing, transportation, child care and health care costs; parents struggling to hold it all together for their little ones as they overcome mental health or substance use issues; children who are grieving loved ones and caregivers lost during the coronavirus pandemic; mothers who hope they will be able to afford coats for their children this winter; and children in foster care who worry they may have no gifts to open this year.

Need in Oakland County

While Oakland County’s economic outlook is bright, there are disparities in income, education and socioeconomic status across the county. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many Oakland County residents were living paycheck-to-paycheck.

In 2019, 38% of Oakland County households struggled to make ends meet. While 13% were living below the federal poverty level, 25% were ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, according to United For ALICE. People who are identified as ALICE do not lack housing or employment but still cannot afford basic household necessities, such as transportation, phone/internet service and health care. Those identified as ALICE may include your favorite cashier, parent’s home health aide or even a coworker.

The holidays are a time to help our neighbors. Through Oakland Family Services’ Adopt A Family Program, you can make children’s wishes come true and bring respite to a family in need.

How Adopt A Family works

Each family hoping to be adopted will submit a wish list and family profile that shares some biographical information about each family member, suggested stores to purchase gift cards from, and items that they hope to purchase this holiday season. For example, a family may share that they hope to purchase winter boots, books and toys for their young daughter, as well as pots and pans and cleaning supplies for the whole family, and that Walmart or Meijer would be the most convenient stores at which they can shop.

As donors sign up for the program, you will be matched with a family (or multiple families) to purchase gift cards for. You are also welcome to give directly to Oakland Family Services’ Adopt A Family fund, which the agency will use to purchase gift cards for families who are not able to be matched with a donor.

Before Buying the Gift Cards

Donors can be a single person or a group of people. When you sign up here to adopt a family, you can request a specific family size/number of children. After being matched with a family, you will receive the family’s profile, wish list and confidential code, as well as instructions and an in-kind contribution receipt for tax purposes.

There is no minimum amount that you must spend; however, we recommend spending $50-75 per child, plus $100-150 per family for household items like cookware. Please do not feel obligated to buy gift cards for every item or store on the family’s wishlist.

After Buying the Gift Cards

Please label each gift card with the family member’s first name and the family code. Then, place all of the family’s gift cards in together in an envelope and label it with the family code.

If you adopt multiple families, please separate their gift cards using different envelopes labeled with each family code.

Gift cards can be mailed to or dropped off at Oakland Family Services’ Pontiac office.

If sending by post, please mail gift cards by Friday, Nov. 19, and address to: Attn: Katie Henwood, Oakland Family Services, 114 Orchard Lake Road, Pontiac, MI 48341.

If dropping gift cards off to our Pontiac office (114 Orchard Lake Road, Pontiac, MI 48341), please do so by Wednesday, Dec. 1. Place the gift cards in the black locking mailbox located outside near the fence at the Orchard Lake Road entrance.

Please keep in mind that with the anticipated high demand and lower supply of items in stores and online this holiday season, the sooner you are able to mail or drop off your gift cards, the sooner our families can purchase gifts for their children.

Donors are encouraged to fill out an in-kind contribution receipt. Email the completed form to Engagement and Special Events Coordinator Katie Henwood at khenwood@ofsfamily.org after gift card mailing or drop off for a signature.

Questions?

If you have any questions about Adopt A Family, please contact Katie Henwood at khenwood@ofsfamily.org or (248) 858-7766 ext. 1218.