Adopt-A-Child numbers released, goals met

By Jason E. Silvers

The Fort Scott Tribune

Organizers of the annual Adopt-A-Child program and other local volunteers were able to rise to the challenge of helping a record number of needy families this past holiday season.

A total of 148 families and 368 children registered for assistance last year through the holiday community assistance program, a collaborative effort between The Beacon, a local community assistance agency and food pantry, the Elks Lodge, and the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program. Registrations for the program were up 25 percent from last year, and was the largest registration in several years, according to Bob Eckles, the director of The Beacon.

Eckles said that late last year he started to become somewhat worried when the number of families that registered for the program began to drastically increase. Eckles added that he didn't know how his agency would be able to meet the needs of every applicant and find sponsorship for every eligible child and family.

"That was particularly a fear this year," he said. "When registrations topped 250 (people), I thought with the economic situation that our budget wasn't big enough to cover the bill for this."

Adding to that fear was the challenge of having all families adopted and packages ready for distribution to families by Dec. 16. The 2008 program began in October.

Eckles soon discovered that his feelings of concern would turn into feelings of relief.

"Not to worry, 100 percent (of families) were adopted, and that done well before the distribution date," he said. "All were taken care of. It can be attributed to the response of the community in hard times."

The purpose of the Adopt-A-Child program is to provide food, toys and clothing, during the holiday season, to children 14 years of age and younger who come from low-income families.

Each year during the program, several individuals, schools, businesses, churches, clubs and other organizations, become sponsors donate needed items to eligible children and families. Sometimes, rather than "adopting" a family, sponsors will donate money to the program to help the child's family purchase needed items.

Sponsors obtain the name of the child, age, sex and clothing sizes, and any gifts the child needs and wants, and must have the gifts purchased and ready for delivery by the distribution date. Volunteers at The Beacon collect donated items for distribution to children and families, who pick the items up at a scheduled time and location. Sponsors are urged to spend about $25 per child.

This year, 11 businesses, 12 church and school groups, and 23 individual families participated in the program by "adopting" families this year, Eckles said.

"They picked up anonymous family sheets giving information about children's clothing needs and sizes, and gift desires," he said. "Taking the information, these adopters shopped, wrapped, labeled and delivered gifts for distribution."

Parents of registered children must design each child's wish list identifying needed items before toys and other gifts.

Since its inception three years ago, the Adopt-A-Child program has provided hundreds of children and families with food and gifts during the holiday season. Dozens of area volunteers provide time, energy and even vehicles in helping to distribute donated items each year, Eckles said.

In a letter to the Tribune, Eckles said he wants to thank the many sponsors and volunteers who provided assistance during last year's program, including volunteer registrars, SEK-CAP representative Ann Miss, Mark Denton, the Elk's Lodge, area schools, churches, clubs and businesses that conducted food drives to help fill food baskets, KMDO-AM and KOMB-FM, The Fort Scott Tribune, and Tim Woodring and other staff members at Community Christian Church.

Eckles said many volunteers worked long hours during a two-day period to help prepare and distribute gifts.

"Your generosity and thoughtful efforts have made Christmas 2008 a lot happier," he said in the letter.