Christmas Donations

Looking to spread some Christmas Cheer?

Thank you for wanting to be a part of spreading holiday cheer to local families!
We have several options this year, so please let us know what works best for you & your group!

1. Adopting a local family for Christmas. Please complete this short form to let us know how many people you’d like to buy for.
   1.  Wish lists will be obtained by our Staff and provided to you.
      1. Gifts should be new and unwrapped and delivered by 12/9. No appointment is needed, just stop by during regular business hours.
         1. Chemung County: deliver to our Church Street Office
         2. Schuyler County: deliver to Church Street Office or Schuyler Outreach Food Pantry
   2. The families that are being adopted are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, living with a chronic health condition or mental health diagnosis. Many are staying at a local motel or Safehouse and do not have much space for their personal belongings. To that end, gifts should be brought in in a storage tote (no larger than 31 gallons) that families can use to store the gifts while they’re in the motels.
   3. We have volunteers who will wrap the gifts and add the families’ names (this helps maintain confidentiality). Our Staff will deliver them.
   4. We are working with Arctic League (Chemung County) and Seneca Santa (Schuyler County) to provide toys this year for kids 1 – 12 years old. They will provide toys, a family gift, and hats/gloves for each child, as well as 1-2 books.
      1. If you are adopting kids outside of that age range, gift ideas will be included for them. Gift cards are always a hit with teens!
      2. Hat/Gloves are welcome for under 1 and over 12-year-olds on your list, as well as adults.
      3. Please pay close attention to the sizes requested. Many families are unable to purchase new clothes for their children. Your generosity ensures that these kiddos will head back to school with a new outfit or needed shoes!
   5. Gift cards to restaurants are appreciated. It’s a treat for many families to be able to go out to eat together. If the family has a car, a gas card may be requested. If they do not have a car, bus tokens may be requested.
   6. Personal hygiene items are available for families at our pantries. A specialty item may be included on a wish list if a particular item is needed and not available at the pantries.
2. Wrap gifts for families – sign up online for a shift.
3. Host a drive to collect warm items. Sign up online.
   1. We need men’s and kids’ sizes of hats and gloves, as well as coats for adults.
   2. Items should be new and unwrapped and delivered by 12/30.
4. Donate wrapping paper, tape, gift bags, tissue paper, and gift boxes to wrap gifts at our office for adopted families. Wishlist here!
5. Provide gift cards to local restaurants, hair stylists, or bus tokens for individuals in our programs. Select businesses are providing discounts for donors who purchase gift cards from them. Gift cards needed by 12/16. Complete this form for more information.
6. Make a monetary donation to help us meet local needs at Christmas time.

Please let Sam know if you have any questions. She can be reached at 607-317-5625 or via email.
Thank you for helping to make the holidays a bit brighter for our local families!