The holidays are a little brighter for more than two dozen Boys & Girls Clubs of Elkhart County families thanks to an “adopt a family” program.
Six families from each Clubhouse in Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury and Nappanee and the KidsCare program were “adopted” through the Lippert Holiday Drive program.
The Clubs and Lippert have been partnering for years to spread the holiday cheer. What was once a program for the Goshen Club is now countywide.
“Boys & Girls Clubs are uniquely situated to know families needs,” said Chief Operations Officer Launa Leftwich. “Knowing that we can help make the holidays special for their children, and being able to partner with area businesses to support that effort, really is celebrating the generosity of our community.”
The families were selected by the teams at the various Clubs. They were asked to fill out forms providing information on the needs and wants for the kids in that household.
“Our team gets together and selects families who might be struggling with loss or just need an extra bit of holiday magic to make the season meaningful for the kids,” Leftwich said.
In the past, the program has helped a family who had experienced a fire just before the holidays. The families are kept confidential.
“It is really a privilege to give to a family and be that conduit of generosity. We see the response from families when they receive so much,” Leftwich said. “They’re surprised, humbled and so very grateful when we notify them that they need to come to the Club and pick up gifts that have been provided by businesses like Lippert. Many are moved to tears actually. They say thank you multiple times.”
Other organizations, like INterra Credit Union, are also adopting Club families.
“As an organization, being able to help connect generous people with those who need support is a privilege, as we work to serve the children and families of our community,” Leftwich said.