How do you find a family to "Adopt"?

[smkiya]

Last week I bought some extra food items (canned veggies, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, stuffing, etc.) with the intention of giving it to a family who may need it. I would also like to buy a few gifts to give to a family as well. How does one find a family who would benefit and appreciate this? Not all families in need reach out to charitable organizations, is there another way? What would you suggest?

[happygirl]

Originally Posted by smkiya

Last week I bought some extra food items (canned veggies, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, stuffing, etc.) with the intention of giving it to a family who may need it. I would also like to buy a few gifts to give to a family as well. How does one find a family who would benefit and appreciate this? Not all families in need reach out to charitable organizations, is there another way? What would you suggest?

What a nice thing for you to Check with your church or a food pantry

[MizTink]

look to the left, look to the right........needy people are everywhere!!!!!
maybe ask someone at a school for a family in need?
i'll tell you one way too. my sister and i were going to put our kids' names on a tree this year. something neither of us have ever done before. we've actually adopted from the tree before. anyways, i finally decided to look into it but i had missed the deadline. they said that they have a "pick up" for people who didn't apply on time. it's a first come, first serve, and they give out the extra toys, if they have any. 1 per child. maybe if you contact the salvation army they can give you one of those families that didn't get signed up on time?
or call the united way.
or pick a random family and get general things plus things like gas cards, grocery store gift cards,oil change gift cards, restaurant gift cards, store/mall gift cards, beauty salon gift certificates, movie tickets, etc....and just play santa. this would be my first choice. i would LOVE to do that for someone!
it's great of you to want to help someone in need!!!

[Buckalew11]

I usually ask a teacher. They always know of a family who needs help.

[Mrs.Toad]

We've done it through our county Dept. of Family Services.

[MizTink]

but will teachers, dept of children and families, salvation army, etc. give the info out?

[Katie's Butterflies]

I agree with several of the other posters, needy families are all around and A church is a good way to find one. I now that several churches around my area help people of other denominations. They want to help everybody, but without people like you, that just isn't possible.

However, if you just choose a family, be careful as some people can be very defensive and see a nice gesture as an insult. I've known many of these who can't even accept a compliment.

[snarlingcoyote]

Put it in a box, tie it all up with a garnish and give it to a local food pantry. You'll put a smile on the workers' faces AND you'll know it's going to families who need it.

(Speaking of which. . .I'm going to go clean out my pantry next Saturday and fill up some boxes, then drop 'em off at a food bank. It's a good way to tidy and do good - any canned item in my pantry that I haven't used in 2 months will be gone baby gone. . .okay, with the exception of canned pumpkin, mint jelly, and all these capers I got on clearance that I'm rationing out.)

[Mrs.Toad]

Originally Posted by MizTink

but will teachers, dept of children and families, salvation army, etc. give the info out?

In my experience, they don't give out identifying info, but will give you age and gender of each member of the family (maybe just a first name, too), and a list of a few items they need/want. After we shopped for the items and wrapped them, we gave them to the Adopt-a-Family coordinator, who delivered them to the family.

I have heard of situations where people bring all the stuff directly to the families home, but haven't run across an organization that does it that way.

[Katie's Butterflies]

[quote= I have heard of situations where people bring all the stuff directly to the families home, but haven't run across an organization that does it that way.[/QUOTE]

In my community, the local Catholic schools used to do this through the Salvation Army. Basically, all of the religion classes "adopt" a family. They are told the family make up (single mom, infant boy size 6mos, 5yr girl size 4 etc), and what they want/need. Then, around Thanksgiving or Christmas, the religion teacher and a couple of students would drop off the basket at the family's house. Unfortunately, one year a class took the stuff to a house just to find an eviction notice and no family. Now, the Salvation Army has the school drop the baskets off with them and then they contact the families. Other areas might still allow drop offs though.

[ksjayhawks]

Call an elementary school and ask to speak to the counselor. Tell him/her you would like to help a family in need with food and small gifts. Ask if they have anyone and if they don't, if they know a school that would.

You will be given information and will take the gifts/food to the school where they will be given to the family.

If you have an alternative high school in your city, call them and see if there is a student who is on their own that could use the items.

[Ohiodislover]

My DDs scout troop uses their cookie money to adopt 2 families at Christmas. We get our names through on of the scout moms, who is a school teacher. I agree with checking w/ the counselor at school.

[aprilgail2]

Originally Posted by Ohiodislover

My DDs scout troop uses their cookie money to adopt 2 families at Christmas. We get our names through on of the scout moms, who is a school teacher. I agree with checking w/ the counselor at school.

My troop makes little banks out of mini pringles cans and puts their spare change (or parents spare change!) for about 2 months and then we take them all, cash them in and use that money to adopt a family.

I work for a charity and the school nurse lets me know of any families that are needy in the school (just ages and sexes) and I will bring her in the toys though that charity and she distributes them to the families in need.... if they are really bad off we run emergency food drives at the school and donate all the food that came in to them also.

[RangerPooh]

Everyone has posted great suggestions. As a teacher we were to each turn in a form listing the stduents that we thought might need some assistance, so a school is a great place to contact. Try the local PTA/PTO and see what they are looking for.

In some smaller communities the local sherriffs/police departments team up with organizations like the Elks Lodge, so that's another avenue that you could try.

You could make a few gift baskets to give to the food pantry, and then donate a few gift items as well that they could distribute to those who need them.

[The Mystery Machine]

Our newspaper runs 100 neediest cases every yr.