317 families waiting to be adopted just days before Christmas
By NewsPress Now
The AFL-CIO of Greater St. Joseph is getting closer to its goal of getting all seeking holiday gift assistance adopted.
With just six days until the Christmas holiday arrives, the AFL-CIO Adopt-A-Family program has assisted 576 families. However, there are 317 families still waiting.
Officials are scheduling as many participants as possible to go through the gift room on Thursday and Friday. It’s expected that about 165 families still will be in need of assistance once that process is complete.
On Thursday, Nichi Seckinger, AFL-CIO Community Services executive director, said her staff is concerned not everyone seeking help will be adopted in time for Christmas.
“No one has been in to adopt yet today, so it looks as if the majority of those families left will also fall to the agency for adoption. We are getting a little nervous,” Seckinger said. “We are still trending about $35,000 behind our normal donations, so there is some worry about keeping up with our supplemental gift cards and being able to get everyone through the gift room with a decent Christmas.”
The Adopt-A-Family program is appealing to anyone who can adopt or donate items to the gift room for help. To contact AFL-CIO Community Services, email carole.dunn@helpmenow.org, call 816-364-1131 or stop by its office at 1203 N. Sixth St. in St. Joseph.
