HACAP organizes ?Adopt-a-Family?

Nearly 200 families from Washington County were adopted this December through HACAP?s ?Adopt-a-Family? program. Thus far, 217 families have applied to be part of the program, and 190 were adopted. HACAP Operations Manager RenElla Crawford said her organization will give toys and other gifts to those families who were not adopted.

?We want all kids to have some toys,? she remarked.

This year as in the past few years, those toys are being collected in the basement of the Washington Eye Care Center. Gifts may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday of next week. HACAP will then contact those families, to let them know to pick up the gifts during those same hours. The basement should be accessed via the door on the west side of the building. Crawford said she is greatly appreciative for what the business?s owner John Negrete does for the program.

The adopt-a-family program begins in November when families in need fill out an application at HACAP. They write down how many children they have, their sizes of clothing and what their children want for Christmas. Crawford said some families list items such as laundry soap and paper products that they are in need of.

Schools, churches and individuals come to HACAP and pick out a family to adopt. They go to the store and purchase the items on the family?s wish list. Crawford said many groups donate gift cards for food, or they purchase a Christmas dinner for the family.

?The kids usually ask for things such as trucks, dolls, doll houses, bicycles and video games,? said Crawford. ?Sometimes the parents put ?my child would appreciate anything.??

For the full story, see the Dec. 16 edition of The Washington Evening Journal