Catholic Charities of Tompkins / Tioga (CCTT) and the Joshua House of Owego have collaborated this season to provide a gifting program for local children. This annual Adopt-a-Child program is helping over 300 kids in Tioga County, N.Y. this year.
“Every child deserves to experience joy on Christmas morning,” said the Executive Director for CCTT, Renee Spear.
She added, “Unfortunately, we know how difficult the everyday struggles are for some of our local families, not to mention the extra financial burden of Christmas gifts.”
Spear says that this program takes a lot of that stress off the parents by allowing others in the community to do the shopping instead.
Engelbert’s Farm Store and Creamery in Nichols is hosting a tree for Catholic Charities. Provided photo.
CCTT and The Joshua House invite anyone who is interested in helping to visit the participating locations to select a tag from the trees, shop for that child, and then return the wrapped gifts to that same location. Information about each child (like age, gender, sizes, and some ideas) are on each tag and there is a spending limit of $40 to $50 per child.
The businesses that are hosting the trees with tags this year are: Confection Connection, The Goat Boy, Scott Smith and Son, Shear Paradise, Roasted Coffee Bar, Baking By Numbers, Scoville-Meno, Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar, and C&M Sweets, all in Owego; Bostwick’s in Candor; Tioga Downs Casino Resort, Nichols; and Englebert Farm Store, Nichols. There are also some local churches and individual groups helping with this effort as well.
“We are so humbled by the response from local businesses who have financially sponsored this project,” added Michelle McLaren, CCTT development assistant.
Pictured is the Giving Tree at Scott Smith & Son, Inc. in Owego. Provided photo.
She continued, “We truly have the most amazing community of business owners that consistently embrace programs and projects that support our youth and families.” Sponsors include Jeff Kies Auto Sales, Tioga Downs Casino Resort, EE Root LLC, Fidelis Care, NAVO Properties, Upstate Shredding, The Goat Boy, Scoville-Meno, Lopke Rock Products, and the Radigan Media family.
More details are available at each location, or you can contact Michelle with any questions on how you can become involved by email to michelle.mclaren@dor.org.
To find out how you can help in more ways with CCTT, or what programs and resources they can provide, www.catholiccharitiestt.org/.
Hi There! I am a single mom of an almost 4 year old. I have been trying to find out how to be a recipient of an “adopt a family” program