How to Give - Adopt-A-Family

 

The holiday season can be a joyous time for many families. However, for those living with illness, poverty or other hardships, the holidays can be difficult. The JFS { Adopt-A-Family project has been helping families, children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities celebrate the holidays for more than twenty years thanks to the compassion and generosity of donors, like yourself.

During the 2015 holiday season, the JFS { Adopt-A-Family project provided gifts and cheer to more than 500 families and individuals receiving services through JFS programs, food pantries, or domestic violence shelters. This year we are hoping to assist an even greater number of clients. We would like to share a thank you letter we received from a family last year:

“Just 2 years ago my daughter and I were living out of our car. My daughter has Cerebral Palsy and her treatments and care are expensive, so I handle most of it on my own. After I lost my job, I couldn’t find a new position that allowed for the same flexible schedule. After we hit rock bottom, I found JFS. They helped us get groceries and community resources at JFS { SOVA. They also connected me with HaMercaz, a program which helped us find qualified services for my daughter, and in turn, allowed me to get back to work knowing she was in good hands. Our first holiday season in our new apartment was made even more joyful by the generous donations of gift cards from JFS. I was able to purchase necessities for our home and give my daughter a beautiful sweater. I don’t know where we’d be today if it weren’t for JFS.”

We hope you will consider participating in the JFS { Adopt-A-Family project this year to help these families celebrate the holidays with joy. Please fill out the included form and return by October, 21st.

How JFS { Adopt-A-Family Project Works

There are four ways you can participate in the 24th Annual JFS { Adopt-A-Family Project. Please review each option below and then let us know which option/s works for you by completing this Donor Application form.

Option 1 – Provide Dinner & Gifts For A Family

• You will be assigned a family and given information for each member, including age, gender, sizes and wish list. You may request the number of families/individuals and the size of families you wish adopt.
• Shop for the whole family, spending $100 per family member/individual. All gifts are to be new, in the original packaging.
• Purchase a gift card to the family/individual’s local grocery store in the amount equal to $20 per family member/individual for their holiday dinner.
• Once you’ve purchased the gifts and grocery card, you’ll deliver the labeled, unwrapped items to one of the following local JFS drop off location at the date and time specified below:
  

  JFS { Pico-Robertson Family Resource Center 8838 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035 Tuesday, Dec 13th or Thursday, Dec 15th 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

  JFS { Valley Storefront Senior Center 12821 Victory Blvd North Hollywood, CA 91606 Monday, Dec 12th or Wednesday, Dec 14th 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Option 2 – Provide Dinner & Gift Cards For A Family

• This option is for those unable to arrange gift drop off at either of the above locations on the specified date and time and/or those that don’t want to physically pick out gift items.
• You’ll still be assigned a family and given information for each member. You may request the number of families/individuals and the size of families you wish adopt.
• Use the family information to guide you in buying gift cards, totaling $100 per family member/individual, to stores/retailers where their wish list items can be purchased.
• Purchase a gift card to the family/individual’s local grocery store in the amount equal to $20 per family member/individual for their holiday dinner.
• Once you’ve purchased the gift cards, you’ll sort the cards by family member/individual and deliver them to one of the following addresses below by December 9:

• Jasmine Lopez JFS { Administrative Offices 3580 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 700 Los Angeles, CA 90010 213.260.7926 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mon - Thurs 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday

  Helen Moreno JFS { Valley Storefront 12821 Victory Blvd N. Hollywood, CA 91606 818.984.1380 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mon - Thurs 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday

  Sylvia Barocas/Tess Cruz JFS { Pico-Robertson 8838 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90035  310.247.0864 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Mon-Thu Call for arrangements on Fridays

Option 3 – Make a Donation

You can contribute significantly to the program by making a donation. Volunteer shoppers will use your much-appreciated donation to create a special holiday for a participating JFS family. All donations are tax-deductible, and your contribution will go toward the recipient family/individual. Please use the enclosed remit envelope to send a check made out to Jewish Family Service (note Adopt-A-Family on the memo line).

Option 4 – Volunteer

Since we fulfill holiday wishes for more than 500 families, we need all the help we can get! There are many volunteer opportunities for donors, as well as high school and college students who want to do something rewarding over winter break. Please email adoptafamily@jfsla.org or call Jasmine Lopez at (213) 260-7926 for more information.

For more information, please contact Jasmine Lopez at  (213) 260-7926 or via email at adoptafamily@jfsla.org.