23 Years Of Providing For Families In Times Of Hardship
Twenty-three years ago, a local businessman in Aptos was diagnosed with inoperable cancer. As the cancer progressed, he was unable to work or support his family as the holidays approached. Our community put on a spaghetti feed and the money collected went to help his family. Patrice Edwards, of Times Publishing Group, Inc., and a friend worked tirelessly to collect toys, food, clothes, rent money, and more to carry his family through the coming months. This was the birth of Aptos-Adopt-a-Family.
Over the years there have been hundreds of stories, and thousands of gifts. Gifts of wheelchairs, a handicap accessible van, lifts, food, clothes, toys bikes, rent, phone bills, physical therapy—gifts that helped a family to enjoy the holidays. One year Adopt-A-Family was able to donate a $4,000 wheelchair lift to a local family. Trees, turkeys, gift certificates—whole neighborhoods have adopted families! Girl Scouts have adopted families. Churches, parents, those who could only give one toy and those who could provide a sizable check…it has been amazing! We live in a very generous community.
There are people from all walks of life who undergo changes in circumstances that force them to depend on others to help keep their families from becoming fractured and feeling that there is no hope. That’s where Aptos Adopt-A-Family comes in and connects families with families. Look into your heart and find that by helping others, it makes you a better person and brings the true meaning of the season into your life.
Aptos Adopt-A-Family focuses primarily on families having financial challenges due to medical catastrophe within their family. Death or illness in a family is devastating and can emotionally and financially cripple. Our program can step in, find someone to adopt the family, and help out with needed medical equipment, home care, etc.
Sponsors provide their “adopted” family with gifts and sometimes decorations and a tree. Though the adopted family identity is anonymous, some of them choose to meet their sponsor. Some families even go holiday shopping together! Several of these families have stayed friends over the years. Adopt-A-Family helps out by providing gift certificates to local stores along with the gifts that the sponsor family has provided.
Please give us a call to find out how you can adopt a family this year or how you can help make this a Merry Christmas for one of our families by donating to the program. If you know of a family in need, don’t hesitate to call us to refer them. All referrals are confidential.
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Call Aptos Adopt-A-Family at 688-7549 x12 to refer someone. To send a donation: Aptos Adopt-A-Family c/o Times Publishing Group — 9601 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003.