A mountain of gifts donated by the community arrive Thursday at the Christian Church and will be delivered to more than 80 local families to brighten their Christmas. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon
ALPHA ZETA News:
Gifts began pouring in Thursday at the Christian Church, 92 East Road, for more than 80 local families. These families applied for assistance this past holiday season and the Los Alamos Adopt-A-Family program matched every single family with a generous local sponsor family.
The Adopt-A-Family program was founded many years ago and has assisted many Los Alamos and surrounding area residents. In 2003, Margie Gillespie, long time program coordinator, had to step down and the Los Alamos Alpha Zeta chapter of Beta Sigma Phi took on the challenge of coordinating the Adopt-A-Family program.
The applying families come into the program through the Los Alamos Public Schools, which means one or more children in the family attend a local school.
“Our goal is to provide at least one ‘need’ (such as clothing) and at least one ‘want’ (such as a book, toy, etc.) for each child in the house, and we also have information on the parents’ needs and wants. Additionally, we request that the sponsor provide a gift certificate for the family for groceries,” said Anne Aboushousha, this year’s director of the Adopt-A-Family Program.“The Alpha Zeta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi assumed the Los Alamos Adopt-A-Family Program in 2003, and every year we are blown away by the generosity that the community shows through this program.”
“It just goes to show you the overwhelming generosity and holiday spirit we have in our little town,” Aboushousha said.
In the Adopt-A-Family program, sponsors do the shopping for the families, wrap the gifts and label them for the recipients, and drop off the gifts with the gift cards for food the week before Christmas. Alpha Zeta encourages businesses, organizations, churches and individuals to help sponsor needy families.
Families in need of assistance for the holidays next year should ask for an application through their child’s school counselor in October 2017. To sponsor a family in need for the 2017 holiday season, contact Anne Aboushousha at 708.799.8206.
