"Adopt-A-Family" For The Holidays With Kids Oneida
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: December 11, 2012
Hundreds of children are being adopted for the holidays, but it may not
be what you think. Kids Oneida, a Utica-based non-profit, is making sure
the holidays are extra special for needy children in our area.
It's called the Adopt-A-Family Program. And like the name implies, people can do some holiday shopping, and adopt a child or children. Eyewitness News spent the day shopping with a generous donor as she bought toys, clothes, and other gifts for her adopted family.
Christine Brown is a holiday shopper, and she's been doing it for over 5 years.
"These children pick out 1 gift or 2 gifts and they're just as excited as if they got 10 so the feeling is just incredible," says Christine Brown, holiday shopper.
Christine is shopping for 4 children today. Each child makes a "Wish List" and then the shopper has the option of buying those gifts.
"Bailey is 10. She's a little girl. She likes to dress up, she likes dress up clothes, baby dolls, or Bratz dolls," says Brown.
"It's the families that really need it and it's about paying it forward and giving it back to someone who can really use it," says Brown.
And it's not just community members participating. Area businesses are also adopting. First Source Credit Union of New Hartford adopted 7 families.
"We try to get those specific items that they want so they are excited about those items that they open on Christmas morning," says Heather Padula, First Source Credit Union employee and holiday shopper.
"It's a great way for community members to get involved and to support somebody else," says Brandi Candido, Adopt-A-Family chairperson.
Candido says this year, Kids Oneida is serving over 100 families and about 400 children.
"Just take a little bit of money out of your pocket to make somebody's day. I cant imagine getting up and not having at least one or two gifts for my own child under the Christmas tree so a lot of times I think about how I want my child to feel on Christmas," says Candido.
And it's not too late to become a holiday shopper! Kids Oneida will be accepting unwrapped gifts until this Friday, December 14th or wrapped gifts until next Friday, December 21st.
For more information:
Visit: http://www.kidsoneida.org/fundraising/adopt-a-family/
Contact Brandi Candido: (315) 792-9039 ext. 2604
It's called the Adopt-A-Family Program. And like the name implies, people can do some holiday shopping, and adopt a child or children. Eyewitness News spent the day shopping with a generous donor as she bought toys, clothes, and other gifts for her adopted family.
Christine Brown is a holiday shopper, and she's been doing it for over 5 years.
"These children pick out 1 gift or 2 gifts and they're just as excited as if they got 10 so the feeling is just incredible," says Christine Brown, holiday shopper.
Christine is shopping for 4 children today. Each child makes a "Wish List" and then the shopper has the option of buying those gifts.
"Bailey is 10. She's a little girl. She likes to dress up, she likes dress up clothes, baby dolls, or Bratz dolls," says Brown.
"It's the families that really need it and it's about paying it forward and giving it back to someone who can really use it," says Brown.
And it's not just community members participating. Area businesses are also adopting. First Source Credit Union of New Hartford adopted 7 families.
"We try to get those specific items that they want so they are excited about those items that they open on Christmas morning," says Heather Padula, First Source Credit Union employee and holiday shopper.
"It's a great way for community members to get involved and to support somebody else," says Brandi Candido, Adopt-A-Family chairperson.
Candido says this year, Kids Oneida is serving over 100 families and about 400 children.
"Just take a little bit of money out of your pocket to make somebody's day. I cant imagine getting up and not having at least one or two gifts for my own child under the Christmas tree so a lot of times I think about how I want my child to feel on Christmas," says Candido.
And it's not too late to become a holiday shopper! Kids Oneida will be accepting unwrapped gifts until this Friday, December 14th or wrapped gifts until next Friday, December 21st.
For more information:
Visit: http://www.kidsoneida.org/fundraising/adopt-a-family/
Contact Brandi Candido: (315) 792-9039 ext. 2604
