Adopt-a-Family relies on community for support

MILLERTON — Local community groups and private residents are coming through in a big way for Adopt-a-Family, a holiday toy and clothing drive, which has already found sponsors for nearly three-quarters of the 100 registered families.

Adopt-a-Family, which covers families living in the Webutuck and Pine Plains school districts and is administered through the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, provides holiday presents, usually in the form of toys and clothing, to local families in need.

The organization, run by Stacey Moore for the last 15 years (it originated with Mariley Najdek), produces a list of families and children to support through close coordination with local food pantries as well as suggestions from businesses and private residents. From there the group collects donations and gifts that are sorted and distributed to the families in time for Christmas.

As previously mentioned, Moore said the list is about 100 families long, which represents nearly 250 children. That list will continue growing “up until the 11th hour,� she acknowledged.

But 75 of those families have already been “adopted� out, meaning that a family, business or local community group will provide all of the presents for a specific family. From local bank branches to churches, businesses to individual families, each family that is adopted out alleviates some of the financial burden that rests on general Adopt-a-Family fundraising. And in a monumental act of assistance, a group of local horse farms banded together this year to collectively adopt 45 families.

“The program grows every year, and times have gotten tougher and tougher recently, but people are just wanting to help like crazy,� Moore said. “I just got a phone call from a woman who had just come to the area from Brooklyn and she heard about the program and took on a family herself. It’s mind-blowing, and it’s saving us a lot of money.�

Another huge help was last weekend’s fundraiser benefit at The Stissing House restaurant in Pine Plains. A craft vendor event was held all weekend, but a special cocktail preview on Dec. 3 donated all of its profits to Adopt-a-Family, totaling $2,000.

“It was a fantastic night,� Moore said. “The fundraiser was a wonderful surprise and I think it was a win-win for both Adopt-a-Family and the vendors.�

Local residents looking to contribute to the effort can either send in a monetary donation or purchase gifts themselves. The gifts to be purchased are for children up to 16 years old. Moore said that current resources are low on gifts for teenagers, like hygiene products and makeup. Legos, basketballs, soccer balls and any other new gifts are welcome. Those unsure of what to get, Moore said, can call her business, where she can provide suggestions from a list of specific items to purchase.

Two local community businesses, Oblong Books & Music and Saperstein’s, have been working closely with Adopt-a-Family for many years. Most of the charity’s shopping is done at those stores, and the two businesses give discounts to both Moore and any shoppers who are buying gifts for the cause.

“It’s one of the nicest grassroots, help-your-neighbor efforts that a community can hope to have,� said Oblong owner Dick Hermans. “Whenever Stacey first asked me to participate, there was no question it was something I would support.�

Lew Saperstein had similar sentiments, saying his department store has been involved from the very beginning.

“Over the years, I try to prepare [when ordering clothing] for what’s going to be needed,� he said. “This time of year, it becomes more apparent that many people need some help. We try to be there to help people out as much as we can. It’s a small community, and I think that when you know everybody, people tend to care more.�

There are only a handful of Adopt-a-Family volunteers, but working with the food banks and all of the community makes Adopt-a-Family a much larger effort, Moore said.

“They’ve already been a phenomenal community,� she beamed. “We’ve got three weeks left — we’ll just keep going.�

Donations can be made out to Adopt-a-Family and sent to PO Box 880, Millerton, NY 12546. Moore can reached at her business, Moore & More Printing, at 518-789-4508.