El Centro de Amistad has begun preparing for the holidays!
Please help us bring the Spirit of Christmas to families in need by
Adopting-A-Family and bringing some cheer!
 

Getting into the holiday spirit is challenging when you or a loved one is ill. It's even more difficult when you don't know whether you'll have enough money to pay for necessities like food, rent, and clothing — never mind holiday meals and gifts. Every holiday season,
El Centro de Amistad coordinates the Adopt-A-Family program to help these families in need.

El Centro de Amistad began adopting families for Christmas in 2019. Each year during the holidays, ECDA families, some homeless, from single-parent households, undocumented, or facing family disruption, are identified for our Adopt-A-Family program. This holiday campaign was launched with the support of our Hospitality Committee with the hope of helping diminish holiday stress for some of our most impacted families. Many of our clients struggle to make ends meet while balancing their mental illnesses. These nominated families who are assessed for their needs create a wish list for each child in the home. Families are advised that each child in the household will receive one item from their wish list under $50 purchased by their sponsor.

"Recipients really appreciate the gifts from their sponsors; these gifts are not only meaningful but also provide a sense of hope in these family's eyes," ECDA Community Relations Coordinator, Flaviola, states.  As one family wrote to her sponsor last year, "Thank you so much for the beautiful gift and support you have provided to my family and I; without this lovely gesture, my family would not have been able to experience the joy of Christmas this year. Not only have you helped us financially, but you have given us hope for better days to come."

The Adopt-A-Family program typically serves over 25 families every year. "Demand for this outreach grows each year," Flaviola says. "We're seeing more families in financial straits than in previous years due to Covid. They're struggling to get by." If you would like to provide a family with some cheer and hope this Christmas, please get in touch with us today. We look forward to matching you with a family this holiday season. 

You can help by adopting a family now through December 1st. 
Contact Flaviola Garcia at  flaviola.g@ecda.org or by calling (818) 898-0223 for a Sponsor Request Form or more information. By completing the "Sponsor Request Form," you will advise us of the family size you are willing to adopt. El Centro de Amistad will, in turn, provide you with the family's "Holiday Wish List."

Thank you for being a part of El Centro de Amistad's Team. Together we can help empower lives today for a better tomorrow.