Anyone Done the Salvation Army Adopt a Family for Christmas?

[travelover]

DW wants to do the SA adopt a family for Christmas deal this year. They ask you to buy several gifts for each kid plus one gift that they need like a coat, shoes, etc. In addition, optional gifts for parents, and a gift card for a Christmas dinner. Total cost would be about $1K, I'm guessing.

In principle it sounds good, but I'm curious if anyone else has experience with this program.

 

[RetiredHappy]

We have done this every year for the past 15 years.

 

[CardsFan]

We have done it through church many times. I think $1k is on the very high end. Usually a few hundred.

DW volunteers for a local charity. Before Covid, they would deliver a sack of gifts for the family on Christmas eve or Christmas day, delivered by Santa himself. Post Covid the social workers take care of delivery.

This group works all year long, buying things on sale or close out, so the cost is much lower. They deliver to over 1,000 families a year. Each kid gets 4-6 items, and the parent(s) get one or two. For the record, this group is 100% volunteer. Every cent they get goes to gifts (though they do get an occasional donation to cover operating costs). Operating costs are minor. The space is donated, no one gets paid, so operating costs means computers, paper, ink, etc.

Fund raisers and donations pay for everything. The lady that started this is now over 80. She started it serving a few families when she was in grad school, over 50 years ago.

Sorry, I ran on too long. But DO look for local charities, though I think SA is one of the few national ones that really does provide help with low overhead, and we have and do donate to them.

 

[Jerry1]

When I was working as a manager, my staff would buy me a Christmas gift. One year, I asked them to not do that and instead do something charitable as a group and I would match their combined donation. That lead to us adopting a family. The local Children’s hospital had a program. Now retired, me and one of my employees who is also retired and a life friend want to do something.

I looked at the SA website but I didn’t see any details about their adopt a family program. Could someone point me to that and, if there are other good avenues to get in touch with an organization that connects people at Christmas, I’d really appreciate it. We could go back to the hospital, but we were looking to do something different.

 

[travelover]

.......I looked at the SA website but I didn’t see any details about their adopt a family program. Could someone point me to that

I guess this is local, so it may vary by city or state.

 

[braumeister]

Salvation Army has always been one of my favorite charities, and I always give very generously every year. But as far as I can tell, we don't have one of those "adopt a family" programs where I live. It sounds great, but apparently just a local thing in some areas.

Trivia: My father used to say that when he was fighting in Europe during WW II, the Red Cross used to sell (SELL) donuts and coffee to the troops, while the Salvation Army just handed it out. He came home with very strong feelings about those two organizations.

A generation later, I saw the exact same thing in Vietnam, so I share his bias.

 

[RobbieB]

On my list too, I just did their Thanksgiving thing. Haven't seen the adopt a family thing either.

 

[jollystomper]

We have done the "Angel Tree" action, which is similar. I also believe The Salvation Army partners with Walmart in some areas on this program. It has never been near $1K, you can spend what you like and still be a cheerful giver .

We know of a couple of young families who organize this with local charities in our area... when they were young they benefited from the program. They said they never cared about how much they got or what it might cost, just the fact that someone cared enough to do something is what stayed with them.

 

[street]

I haven't heard of the program but sounds like a great way to support a family's holiday. I'm surprised I have not heard about the program I do volunteer as a bell ringer over the Christmas season.

 

[Dash man]

We do the “Angel Tree” through our church to buy gifts for a family each year. This year our Knights of Columbus chapter is also supporting a program to buy gifts for kids of parents with addiction problems.
The Salvation Army is a great charity, as is Catholic Charities.

 

[Teacher Terry]

The Salvation Army is the best! They helped so many of my clients. They take low salaries and the money goes to people that need it. It’s a religious organization and they walk the talk. I always donate to them.

 

[Zathras]

For SA this is organized at a local level.
Ours is one of those that does the adopt-a-family. We have had a great experience contributing to this program.

 

[athena53]

Trivia: My father used to say that when he was fighting in Europe during WW II, the Red Cross used to sell (SELL) donuts and coffee to the troops, while the Salvation Army just handed it out. He came home with very strong feelings about those two organizations.

DH heard this about RC from his stepfather, who also fought in Europe. (No mention of Salvation Army.) Planet Money did an episode on this years ago and they said that the British were charging their soldiers for donuts and coffee so they asked the RC to charge for them as well so the British soldiers wouldn't get disgruntled. Regardless, it's caused a LOT of damage among those were remember it, and their descendants.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Early fall of 1963 my family moved from California to Spokane. I was just 8. Then JFK was killed. We were a poor family, no dad, just Mom and four kids. To this day I still remember when the Salvation Army arrived with a turkey, lots of food, and some gifts for Christmas. I've never forgotten it, and give back to them every year.

 

[Act2]

Our workplace Salvation Army Angel Tree program has a note that the average amount of money spent on each Angel was about $ 75 last year.

 

[Ally]

We’ve done the angel tree for needy seniors. They write a need on their card and you buy the item or items. Each year, it makes me sad to see they ask for the most basic of needs and we certainly are happy to make their holidays brighter. I hate to think of the senior needing a pair of long underwear and 3 pairs or warm socks for their gift. Or the one who asked for a grocery list of salt, pepper, some canned soups, canned spaghetti, tuna and crackers. We added additional items to each, but it all has to fit in a grocery bag, no gift cards.

This is arranged by a home health agency in our area.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I did it one year but it really wasn't a good fit for the kinds of donations I wanted to do. I envisioned giving a poor family things like food, sweaters, warm socks, grocery store gift cards and games for the kids. I like to bargain shop and thought I could really make a nice gift basket for some family.

After I signed up, I received a very expensive wish list I was supposed to buy from that had specific items like expensive X-box games and designer jeans. I did buy from the list as asked and spent what they suggested, but when I dropped off the goods, instead of thanking me the staff asked where the rest of the stuff was. Well, items like X-box games and designer jeans don't exactly take take a lot of bulk, so I don't know if they were expecting a bushel full of $50 Xbox games or what their issue was. But I sure wasn't going to do that ever again.

Now I buy groceries for a local food bank where a friend works and I do that all year. She is always very appreciative and tells us about the families in need her group helps out.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Salvation Army has always been one of my favorite charities, and I always give very generously every year. But as far as I can tell, we don't have one of those "adopt a family" programs where I live. It sounds great, but apparently just a local thing in some areas.

I also got excited about this adopt-a-family idea. I am not religious so I generally avoid giving through religious organizations...but don't rule it out entirely because I am also not anti-religious. And SA is acceptable to me. In this case I found the same thing - no local option whether through SA or any other group. It's a shame. I found an option on Oahu but I would rather give very locally on my own island.

I did find in my research that both Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services have similar programs (although again, none where I live).

The idea sounds wonderful! I give a lot to various charitiesmostly related to wildlife but human services charities have, to me, usually had "flaws." I won't go into those because it is very judgemental and potentially inflammatory. But this idea looks great. I wish I could participate.

 

[travelover]

I did it one year but it really wasn't a good fit for the kinds of donations I wanted to do. I envisioned giving a poor family things like food, sweaters, warm socks, grocery store gift cards and games for the kids. I like to bargain shop and thought I could really make a nice gift basket for some family.

After I signed up, I received a very expensive wish list I was supposed to buy from that had specific items like expensive X-box games and designer jeans. I did buy from the list as asked and spent what they suggested, but when I dropped off the goods, instead of thanking me the staff asked where the rest of the stuff was. Well, items like X-box games and designer jeans don't exactly take take a lot of bulk, so I don't know if they were expecting a bushel full of $50 Xbox games or what their issue was. But I sure wasn't going to do that ever again.

Now I buy groceries for a local food bank where a friend works and I do that all year. She is always very appreciative and tells us about the families in need her group helps out.

OP here. Thanks for this and I’ll watch out. I worked for Habitat for Humanity for a while and saw the scamming that turned me off.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

OP here. Thanks for this and I’ll watch out. I worked for Habitat for Humanity for a while and saw the scamming that turned me off.

It seems like other posters here may have had more reasonable gift requests with similar programs. I may have screwed up by signing up before being aware of the over the top gift list. In hindsight, I should have just said no thanks, once I saw the list and looked for a different charity to support.

My friend I've known for years is in charge of the food pantry we donate to these days, so I am reasonably sure she isn't selling off the donated tuna cans and jars of peanut butter we give her on eBay. And she gets to know the families that come to her group for help, like where they work and live, so we know they really need and appreciate the groceries.

 

[tmm99]

I did it one year but it really wasn't a good fit for the kinds of donations I wanted to do. I envisioned giving a poor family things like food, sweaters, warm socks, grocery store gift cards and games for the kids. I like to bargain shop and thought I could really make a nice gift basket for some family.

After I signed up, I received a very expensive wish list I was supposed to buy from that had specific items like expensive X-box games and designer jeans. I did buy from the list as asked and spent what they suggested, but when I dropped off the goods, instead of thanking me the staff asked where the rest of the stuff was. Well, items like X-box games and designer jeans don't exactly take take a lot of bulk, so I don't know if they were expecting a bushel full of $50 Xbox games or what their issue was. But I sure wasn't going to do that ever again.

Now I buy groceries for a local food bank where a friend works and I do that all year. She is always very appreciative and tells us about the families in need her group helps out.

Wow, what a turn-off. The wish list as well as the attitude of the staff. I probably wouldn't have backed out of the whole thing, knowing myself... Even just seeing amazon links to what they want (even if they're cheap stuff) turns me off.

 

[travelover]

OP here. We got the wish list for a couple with three kids. The request from the Salvation Army is to spend $75 to $100 each on the kids, parents optional plus a $75 gift card at a grocery store.

The asks are pretty reasonable - a comforter, pajamas, underwear, pots and pans, toilet paper, laundry soap, Legos for the little guy. Dad works construction and asked for a water resistant coat. I found him a Carhartt waterproof jacket at Sierra Trading Post and we picked up most of the other stuff at Walmart.

All in, I feel pretty good about the arrangement. These folks seem to be really in need and their asks are practical. There is an option to be there when they pick up their gifts, but we will pass. That just feels a little too condescending.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Just want to elaborate on my earlier quick post where we have been doing this for the past 15 years. Each family's wish list is different. The "kids" can range from young to high teens/early twenties. Sometimes they ask for specific brands of clothes or toys, some ask for restaurant vouchers and movie tickets. Usually we add gift cards for the parent(s). We have never felt that anything which were asked for was out of line. If they want an X-Box, why not? We have never spent more than $500 for a family, usually closer to $200 to $300. The past few years, we started doing it for the military families, sponsored by our club, often widowed or disabled due to service and wish list is typically for the children.