Anyone ever sponsor or "adopt" a family for Christmas?

• justincredible

  

  If so, what are some good organizations to go through? I found some good info from our local Salvation Army but wanted to check out multiple organizations if possible.
• TedSheckler

  

  Getting sponsored is for poor people.
  
  You can donate to my PayPal account. I will make sure the money gets to where it should.
• Mohican00

  

  no because poor people are poor due to bad decisions they made in life and only deserve our derision, not our charity
  
  
• Ytowngirlinfla

  

  justincredible;1527471 wrote:If so, what are some good organizations to go through? I found some good info from our local Salvation Army but wanted to check out multiple organizations if possible.

  If you go to church, I know they always get info on families that are down on their luck for the holidays to adopt.
• sleeper

  

  Mohican00;1527481 wrote:no because poor people are poor due to bad decisions they made in life and only deserve our derision, not our charity
  
  

  I was about to post the exact same thing. I do donate some of my money to charity though, mostly Planned Parenthood because the more women we put on birth control the better.
• jmog

  I have done this through a church once and also through a car dealership once (I know, odd choice).
  
  I would say most churches would have no problem helping you information on a family in need, the Salvation Army is probably a decent choice as well.
• vdubb96

  

  A few years ago a couple of us at work bought a guy who works here a bunch of presents for his kids because they had a small house fire (a couple rooms). Everyone felt great about the gesture and he got all sappy with us, come to find out about a month later he's talking about how he bought a big screen tv for his newly remodeled living room. Never again will I do something like that. F them!
• ernest_t_bass

  

  I've adopted a kid at school.
• Enforcer

  

  We do it every year, We go through the Athens County Children services
• I Wear Pants

  justincredible;1527471 wrote:If so, what are some good organizations to go through? I found some good info from our local Salvation Army but wanted to check out multiple organizations if possible.

  Maybe talk to someone who runs the foreign exchange student program at a local college? A lot of those people end up not having anyone to spend holidays with.
• justincredible

  

  I Wear Pants;1527532 wrote:Maybe talk to someone who runs the foreign exchange student program at a local college? A lot of those people end up not having anyone to spend holidays with.

  I guess I don't mean have people come stay at our house. We want to buy gifts and a meal for a family that may not have the opportunity to do it for themselves. Ideally I'm hoping to find a family with a single mother (I was raised by a single mother) with one boy and one girl. That way my wife and I each have a kid to pick stuff out for.
• Rotinaj

  

  I Wear Pants;1527532 wrote:Maybe talk to someone who runs the foreign exchange student program at a local college? A lot of those people end up not having anyone to spend holidays with.

  Foreign people don't believe in Christmas. 'MERICA!!!!
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  ernest_t_bass;1527512 wrote:I've adopted a kid at school.

  SO did Jerry Sandusky...
• Heretic

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;1527540 wrote:SO did Jerry Sandusky...

  Sandusky's kid was better off...
• justincredible

  

  Ytowngirlinfla;1527486 wrote:If you go to church, I know they always get info on families that are down on their luck for the holidays to adopt.

  jmog;1527493 wrote:I have done this through a church once and also through a car dealership once (I know, odd choice).
  
  I would say most churches would have no problem helping you information on a family in need, the Salvation Army is probably a decent choice as well.

  We don't attend church but I might reach out to one of them in the area. Thanks for the suggestion.
• Fab4Runner

  

  My mom used to do this every Christmas. She also anonymously gave her friend/coworker $500.00 each year.
  
  I actually planned to adopt a family last year but ran out of time, so I am definitely doing it this year.
• I Wear Pants

  justincredible;1527538 wrote:I guess I don't mean have people come stay at our house. We want to buy gifts and a meal for a family that may not have the opportunity to do it for themselves. Ideally I'm hoping to find a family with a single mother (I was raised by a single mother) with one boy and one girl. That way my wife and I each have a kid to pick stuff out for.

  Ah gotcha, churches, Salvation Army type places, etc might be good places to try. Or see if a school/PTO might know of a family or be able to help you finding one.
• GoChiefs

  

  vdubb96;1527495 wrote:A few years ago a couple of us at work bought a guy who works here a bunch of presents for his kids because they had a small house fire (a couple rooms). Everyone felt great about the gesture and he got all sappy with us

  That's awesome that you guys did that. Christmas morning in '95 we had a house fire as well. My parents were absolutely devastated obviously. Later that night a couple people came to my uncles bearing gifts. Turned out a bunch of people from in town had donated some money so we could still have a Christmas.
• justincredible

  

  I Wear Pants;1527605 wrote:Ah gotcha, churches, Salvation Army type places, etc might be good places to try. Or see if a school/PTO might know of a family or be able to help you finding one.

  Since you mentioned it, though, it would be kinda cool to host someone from another country for the holidays.
• se-alum

  

  My buddy is the President of the local Kiwanis club, so I am able to sponsor a child through their organization every year.
• Pick6

  

  justincredible;1527654 wrote:Since you mentioned it, though, it would be kinda cool to host someone from another country for the holidays.

  Indeed it would. I have two foreign roommates and always invite them to come home with me during the holidays if they do not have plans.
  
  Holidays (to me) aren't about gifts, they are about enjoying the company of loved ones.
  
  edit: hopefully this doesn't give off the vibe that I'm not against helping needy families with kids, I am definitely all for that as well.
• sportchampps

  My department at work always adopts 2 or 3 families for Christmas. Last year I went and dropped off the food and presents and it's pretty emotional. I'm sure we will be doing it again this year. I also do the big brother program thru my office and it's been a great experience. The kid I was given is great. We meet once a week for lunch during school. He has a great mom that I have met. She's doing everything she can as a single mom to raise her kid ( works and goes to night school). He is only 8 but I can tell it really affects him being poor. This year for his birthday he asked me if I could rent him snow dogs. I asked him why snowdogs and he said his friends got to see it in the theaters but he didn't get to go because it cost to much. I bought him the movie and also gave his mom a $100 give card to the theater so he could go with hai friends for now on. When he gets older I plan on taking him to some bluejackets and ohio state games. For Christmas I'm getting his mom a Meijers gift card and him a cheap laptop to use at home for his schoolwork. His mom already has internet but only had a old desktop she uses for school that can't do much.
• justincredible

  

  sportchampps;1527660 wrote:My department at work always adopts 2 or 3 families for Christmas. Last year I went and dropped off the food and presents and it's pretty emotional.

  I want no part of actually giving them the gifts. I just want to be able to drop off the gifts to the organization and have them take care of the rest.
• sportchampps

  Yeah we just dropped them off to the moms not the kids or anything it was pretty straight forward
• Ironman92

  

  My school really got into it big for several years but it got to the point the same families expected us to do it and many of the families didn't even appreciate.
  
  I always take a family on my own and I always try to find a family that doesn't have a lot...but they have good kids and maybe the Dad is now laid off or lost his job completely....those families light up with enjoyment when they see the gifts and are so appreciative for the help that year.
  
  A good story from our school......about 6 or 7 years ago a very good family but borderline poor (dad worked but they could've lived better on welfare)......well Dad was injured and couldn't work and Mom came with tears in her eyes for help that Christmas. We jumped on board because they were good parents and they had great kids. We loaded them up pretty good......EVERY year since that same family has insisted they we accept their $100 donation every year to our Christmas fund to help those families.