At Adopt-A-Family, the holiday season is marked by a flurry of special events that support our mission and the families we serve. The month of December contains full days and packed schedules as our staff, board, volunteers, and donors work together to execute our largest annual fundraiser alongside three major client programs. Amid the whirlwind of activity, there is an unmistakable sense of holiday cheer that fills our halls, fueled by an undercurrent of generosity, goodwill, and kindness.
The festivities begin in early December with our beloved annual Tree Lighting Celebration, which raises critical funds to support our mission. The rest of the month unfolds with programs designed to ensure families who have experienced homelessness and hardship can fully experience the joy of the holidays. Our three signature initiatives – Santa Shoppe, Holiday Adopter, and the Gift Giving Event – create meaningful moments for children and parents to celebrate together, receive gifts, and feel the warmth of a community that cares.
We are immeasurably grateful to every individual, group, and business that supported Adopt-A-Family’s holiday initiatives. It is an honor to partner with you for a shared purpose. Below is a recap of your collective impact during the 2025 holiday season.
Tree Lighting Celebration:
Over 200 guests joined us for our unforgettable 41st Annual Tree Lighting Celebration on December 2 in Palm Beach. Chaired by longtime agency supporter and board member Heather Ferguson, the event raised over $1.2 million in support of our mission. We were thrilled to have one of our earliest board members, Lisa Swift, serve as Honorary Chair.
The evening featured a signature welcome from the King’s Academy Choir, an expansive silent auction, a gourmet dinner, and an always-exciting live auction. Guests heard inspiring words from Adopt-A-Family CEO Matt Constantine, as well as a resident high school student with aspirations to become a motivational speaker, in large part due to the significant impact of the agency’s programs. This year’s celebration brought together longtime agency friends and new supporters, including the members of our newly formed Young Friends Committee.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this special event possible, particularly our dedicated Tree Lighting Committee members, who exceed expectations year after year:
Heather Ferguson (Chair), Lisa Swift (Honorary Chair), Patricia Anathan, Judy Backstrom, Elizabeth Baldwin, Judy Coran, Lori Corrigan, Kristine Cruikshank, Cheryl Culp, Elizabeth DeBrule, Jen Dudnyk, Karen Fischer, Julie Gambale, Ann Hamrock, Sherry Hay, Bernadette Haynes, Penny Heller, Beth Hennessy, Carol Jeney, Nancy Kalaher, Nancy Kyle, Brenda McGarrity, Marietta McNulty, Paula Michel, Bel Miller, Rita Nowak, Chris Oberlink, Debby Parr, Kathy Peterson, Jeanette Ristau, Julie Rudolph, Susan Spera, Alice M. Tarone, and Jennifer Trainor.
Santa Shoppe:
Santa Shoppe brings the magic of the holidays to life for the families we serve. The children get their picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus and are presented with a gift from their wishlist (generously purchased by our community of supporters). The fun doesn’t stop there – children also “shop” for gifts for their loved ones with the help of caring volunteers and have the presents wrapped by a team of volunteer elves in the wrapping room. The festive atmosphere is enhanced with holiday music, twinkling decor, arts and crafts, and tasty treats for all family members. This year, Santa Shoppe welcomed over 200 children from 100 local families, creating countless moments of joy and laughter. We are deeply grateful to the donors and volunteers whose generosity and kindness made this day possible.
Gift Giving Event:
Celebrating the holidays can be especially challenging for families experiencing homelessness. The agency’s annual Gift Giving Event allows parents receiving services through the Senator Philip D. Lewis Homeless Resource Center to select two presents for each of their children, with volunteers on hand to carefully wrap each item. A stocking filled with treats and small surprises is also provided for every child to fulfill the holiday tradition. These gifts lift a burden from parents, ensure children have presents to open, and serve as a symbol of hope for brighter days ahead. Thanks to the many groups and businesses that donated toys to the event this year, the Gift Giving Event ensured that over 130 children from 60 families had gifts to open this year.
Holiday Adopter:
The Holiday Adopter program is a cherished agency tradition that enables donors to “adopt” a family for the holiday season and shop for items from their wishlist. This year, 130 individuals, groups, churches, and businesses provided in-kind and monetary donations that supported over 170 families. Thanks to their contributions, every child and parent experienced the joy of receiving thoughtful gifts. The program also ensured that the 17 families at the Program REACH emergency shelter received gift cards, and all agency residents received a grocery store gift card to enable them to prepare a special holiday meal. We are deeply grateful to our generous donors, whose support spread the spirit of giving and community to our staff and the families we serve.
