In a heartwarming community effort, Oakland Family Services’ 2022 Adopt A Family program brightened the holiday season for than 300 families in need. Donors, volunteers and agency staff came together to ensure families and children facing challenges of all shapes and sizes would have gifts, warm winter clothing and other necessities this winter.

All Adopt A Family recipients are clients of Oakland Family Services, including preschoolers who attend our Children’s Learning Centers, children and teens in foster care, families receiving behavioral health treatment or parenting support, and other clients who have been identified as needing assistance.

Behind the Scenes

After two years of collecting gift cards in lieu of presents to prevent spreading the coronavirus between donors, staff, volunteers and clients, 2022 marked an exciting return to Adopt A Family’s traditional format — a huge undertaking that begins months in advance.

Oakland Family Services’ rockstar Development team (currently just three staff members!) collects families’ wishlists, matches families with donors, recruits volunteers to assist with gift pick-up and drop-off, coordinates extra storage space for gifts, meticulously tracks every bag and box delivered, and ensures these gifts are given to the correct families at pick-up.

During two and a half days of gift drop-off, a steady stream of donors pull up to the agency, and tireless volunteers unload car after car, haul boxes and bags into the agency and its rented storage units, tag them with family codes, and record their location to be entered into Development’s tracking spreadsheets. Therapists’ offices are stacked high and hallways are lined with gifts. Gift pick-up begins midway through the week, and volunteers repeat the process in reverse by locating, pulling and loading gifts into thankful families’ cars, one by one.

“All the hard work is worth it when we see the joy on the families’ faces at gift pick-up,” said Katie Henwood, engagement and special events coordinator. “We couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who donated or volunteered to help us pull this off. Together, we were able to help hundreds of families who otherwise may have had no gifts to give their children this holiday season.”

By the Numbers

309 families in need were served, receiving gifts for their children and household necessities to help them through tough times.

739 children experienced holiday magic and were able to have toys, warm winter clothing and other surprises to unwrap during their families’ winter holidays.

156 generous donors or donor groups thoughtfully shopped for, wrapped and delivered gifts from families’ wishlists.

183 volunteers donated their time and energy during gift drop-off and pick-up Dec. 12-16.

In just five short days, 900 bags and 320 boxes of gifts were delivered, organized, stored and distributed to families — plus 10 bikes, two sets of bunk beds, two dressers and one desk.

About $8,000 was donated to help cover program expenses and gift cards for families served, including $3,000 donated by the Optimist Club of West Bloomfield earlier this year.

Oakland Family Services extends extra special thanks to Cummins-Meritor, Lee Industrial Contracting, Newman AME Church, Riveron and Sun Communities for adopting five or more families, and to Beaumont Hospital Troy, McLaren Oakland Hospital, St. Patrick Catholic Parish Church, Penske Automotive Group, RouteOne and United Wholesale Mortgage for adopting 10 or more families.