The families participating in our program have been identified by the Department’s staff as being families in need. You are invited to acquaint yourself with the services we provide by browsing our website.

This depends on the way in which you choose to help. Any amount of new, unwrapped gifts, gift card or monetary donation is greatly needed and appreciated. If you choose to adopt a family, for first time participants, a small family is recommended - one child/one parent. To provide a point of perspective, $100 per family member may be used as a guide in establishing a cost base.

After registering, the donor will be provided with information regarding clothing, toys, and household items on their family match. After a review of the information provided, the donor will decide what they would like to present in their holiday gift package. Consultation with a DCYF staff member is always suggested in an attempt to gain insight as to what the family may need most. However, items such as food, basic toiletries, and outwear are always useful.

Absolutely not. Sometimes families list a great deal of information, and in some cases expensive items such as appliance, beds, tech equipment and games. In many cases, donors may coincidentally have a match for these large ticket items in their home, in good condition, and are happy to offer them for recycling. The donor is in no way expected to make excessive or expensive purchases.

Not without checking with us first. In most cases, communication should be directed to the DCYF staff. If you are unable to connect with the staff member, call (518) 447-5580 for assistance. There may be some situations in which direct communication with the family would be OK; however, clearance should first be received from the staff member.

The method of delivery is the donor’s decision. Some donors feel that delivering directly to the family completes the special holiday connection. In this situation, the donor would be matched with a family that is open to accepting delivery directly from the donor. A special note on delivering directly - as with any type of travel to unfamiliar locations, general precautions should be taken regarding safety. Also, it’s best to conduct business during the daylight hours, as well as with a travel partner. Some donors prefer to remain anonymous to the family and choose to deliver the gifts to a neutral location. If delivery by the donor is not possible, arrangements can be made for the gifts to be picked up from the donor’s location. Delivery and any concerns should be coordinated with the DCYF staff worker.

We would need to know this as soon as possible. News of being adopted for the holiday brings tremendous relief from many stresses experienced by families, and efforts to locate another donor would be very important.