Hillsides Holiday Adopt-A-Family Program Aims to Help 80 Families

Last May, the Galvan family lost its apartment and was homeless for months. Mom Mary, a single mother, works at a minimum wage job to support her three daughters, ages 6, 10, and 12. The family never has enough for basics, such as sturdy shoes for the long 2.5 mile walk home from school each day. The youngest daughter, Alexandra, suffers from anxiety, and finds comfort playing “pretend” Barbies at school every day at recess. Because she doesn’t have a real Barbie, her teacher lets her borrow a stuffed bird, and Alexandra pretends the bird is a Barbie.

The Galvan family is one of many throughout Los Angeles County struggling every day to make ends meet. The holidays, far from being joyful, are a depressing reminder that they have no money for presents or for a holiday dinner.

Hillsides is hoping to bring holiday cheer to the Galvan family and other families in need through its annual Adopt-A-Family program. The agency has set a goal of providing 80 families with gifts and food for the holiday season, and is reaching out to the community to fulfill this goal.

“Without this program, families will not be able to celebrate Christmas or have enough food to feed their family when the children are home from school during the holidays,” said Laura Kelso, Hillsides director of community resources. “These donations will restore some sense of happiness in the families’ lives, bringing them comfort and joy and, in the case of the Galvan family, hopefully a Barbie.”

Community members can choose the size of the family they wish to adopt, ranging from small (1 – 3 people), medium (3 – 5 people), or large (five plus individuals). The cost of adopting each family member is approximately $100. The deadline for adopting and shopping for a family is December 15.

To adopt a family, please contact either Kelso at lkelso@hillsides.org or (323) 254-2274, ext. 1251 or Community Resources Assistant Stephanie Lopez at slopez@hillsides.org or (323) 254-2274, ext. 1258. Donors will receive a family profile, with specific needs and wishes of each family member, and instructions on shopping and dropping off the items. For more information on adopting a family or for those who would like to support a family but don’t have time to shop, please visit http://www.hillsides.org/content/adopt-family-holidays.

For those unable to commit to adopting a family, Hillsides is also asking for gift cards in increments of $25 to stores such as Food 4 Less, Ralphs, Smart & Final, Walmart, and Vons. Those interested in purchasing gift cards can also contact Kelso or Lopez.

Hillsides, headquartered in Pasadena, is a premier provider dedicated to improving the overall well-being and functioning of children, youth, and families in need. For more information on Hillsides, please visit www.hillsides.org.