STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. – This year for the Adopt a Family program, 174 children across 63 families were connected with 43 donors. In addition to holiday gifts, the families received a voucher for a turkey to complete a holiday meal. This was due to the generosity of MU Extension Council (Ste. Gen), Pettus Ford, and Rozier’s Country Mart.
This program’s success is dependent upon the generosity of donors. Times are tough for many families around the holidays. For some, there would be no Christmas presents under the tree without this program. Every recipient expressed their gratitude for the Adopt-a-Family program. Some families even expressed the desire to give back to the program as donors themselves when their circumstances change.
“In addition to holiday gifts, the families received a voucher for a turkey to complete a holiday meal,” said Estrella Carmona, MU Extension County Engagement Specialist and manager of the Adopt-a-Family program. “This was due to the generosity of MU Extension Council (Ste. Gen), Pettus Ford, and Rozier’s Country Mart.”
In addition to our donors, the program would not be able to reach as many people without our partners in the community. Noteworthy is our collaboration with the Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff Department and Ste. Genevieve County R-II School District. The communication while connecting families to donors ensured that more children in need were helped this year.
The University of Missouri Extension looks forward to continuing to make the holidays bright for local families.
To learn more about the Adopt-a-Family Program, please contact University of Missouri Extension at (573) 883-3548.