Woonsocket Adopt-a-Family: From the Desk of Sandy Soares

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

From the Desk of Sandy Soares

As I write this, I have applications on my desk from families with 472 children who are eligible for our program for whom we have no donors.

We are going to have to turn many away this year. I'm guessing it will be 250-300 children which means, because we provide most of the clothes and toys they get each year, these kids will probably have few, maybe no, gifts.

Many of these children are from single-parent families; some working, some not, who struggle monthly to keep a roof over their heads and food in their kitchens. We all know how the costs of utilities and food have escalated this year.

Many of these families "run out of money before they run out of month."

If this happens it will be the first time in nine years that we have had to turn families away. And as I sit here looking at these applications I wonder "who stays and who goes."

2011 Program Update--Final Numbers

This year we were able to provide for 2,216 children in 1,059 families through the efforts of our donors and volunteers. 2011 was the 9th year in a row that we were able to take care of every eligible family who applied.

This year our finances were seriously depleted by the 399 children provided for as they had no outside donors. If you would like to help replenish our treasury so that we can continue, send all cash donations to ADOPT-A-FAMILY, INC., P.O. Box 7665, Cumberland, RI 02864. Remember all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Who We Are

Adopt-A-Family, Inc., was started by a group of volunteers and has been a favorite local charity in the Northern Rhode Island area since its inception. Our mission is to provide gifts of clothes and toys to children of needy families in Woonsocket.

The agency is an independent privately funded, non-profit organization founded in 1983. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, making your donations tax-deductible. We are not part of a larger organization and only work in the Northern Rhode Island area.

Adopt-A-Family protects the privacy of both its donors and recipients.

Our mailing address is:
Adopt-a-Family, Inc.
P.O. Box 7665
Cumberland, RI 02864

Or leave a message at:
(401) 766-2291

Some of Our Statistics

Since we began keeping records in 1992, more than 30,000 children have been provided for in a city where 35% of the children under the age of 6 live below the poverty level.

We make a big effort to reach out to "working poor" families of Woonsocket.

Annually we bring approximately $350,000 worth of goods into the city through our donors' gifts of toys, clothes and money. We also raise approximately $20,000 per year to purchase toys, games and clothes for children we are unable to find outside donors for.

From Our Families

Personal Donor Family:
“Adopt-A-Family has given our family the opportunity to get back to the true spirit of Christmas...sharing with those who are less fortunate. The difference between this program and others is that it is very personalized.”

Corporate Donor:
“We get each employee personally involved...and to be part of the good that's being done. We let them go shopping one day, then have a short afternoon gift-wrapping party. It's much more real to them than a footnote in the company newsletter saying such-and-such a donation was made. It's inexpensive, and a good morale-building activity for the office.”

Recipient Family:
“There aren't enough words to thank you or describe how much my children needed a happy Christmas this year, and you not only made it happy, you made it the most wonderful Christmas we've ever had...Because of you, my children believe in Santa and the miracle of Christmas. I will be forever grateful...I could never have done it without you and I will never forget what you've done.”