Unique Adopt-a-Child for the Holidays Program helps 1,300 children across Unity House
Toys! Games! Balls! With the help of many generous people, Unity House’s Children’s Holiday Program, once called Adopt a Family, helps put the magic in the holiday season for children of all ages. It’s a huge undertaking that involves staff, families, volunteers, and local businesses large and small.
The obvious appeal for those who help is the gratification from helping children. But the other aspect is the easy ways to help out: with a Wish List in hand supporters either shop for specific children, donate new toys or gift cards, or make a donation to Unity House’s Children’s Holiday Program Fund.
Ways Help
It’s easy!
Host a Toy Drive in your community or shop for new toys and necessities for children. Our first deadline is December 9th.
Want to avoid the stores? Consider shopping online and have items shipped direct to Unity House. You can even consult our Wish Lists at Target, Walmart, or Amazon. Please know that whatever new toy or gift you donate, we will gratefully accept it. You will help to make a difference to a child in need.
Want a Wish List? We have some Wish Lists and you can still ‘adopt’ a child(ren), if you would like to help that way. For some programs, instead of sitting down with parents to make a list, wish lists will come via teachers and staff. They have an established connection to the children and know what gifts are needed and will be a success.
If writing a check or making a donation through our website to our Children’s Holiday Program are your thing, that’s great too. We appreciate all the forms of support for this unique program.
Gift cards to big box stores, Amazon, or local supermarkets and retailers are also helpful. Our program serves children of all ages. We often experience a shortage of toys for Teens & ‘Tweens since many people want to shop for younger children. Gift suggestions for older children include headphones, makeup, and video games. Often, we need to purchase these items late in the season.
Did you know? Gift Cards can be purchased at supermarkets and drugstores.
What about the Holiday Store?
Eligible parents are able to make an appointment to ‘shop’ in our holiday store. In this way, a parent chooses new items that they knew their child truly wanted or needed. It’s a huge undertaking for our staff and volunteers so we appreciate the support of all those who make this possible.
You are making a difference!
Whether it’s for children in our shelter, in our daycare programs, in our food pantry, through our housing programs, or children receiving therapy, a staff member will work to get a new toy that the child will enjoy and use. We could not do this without your help. THANK YOU! We appreciate all you do to help fulfill the mission of Unity House.
Getting Started
You can download our Toy Ideas Flyer or check out our Tween_Teen Wish List if you want to get started on your shopping. It’s important that donated toys and gifts be new and unwrapped so parents can see what their child is receiving.
Contact us to get started with our Children’s Holiday Program:
Moira Geracitano
(518) 274-2607 x4135
Events@UnityHouseNY.org
Our Mailing Address to have items shipped direct:
Unity House
2431 Sixth Ave
Troy, NY 12180
Att: DEV
It is helpful to have gifts, which should be new and unwrapped, in house by Monday, December 9th but our staff will be hard at work throughout the month.
If you would like to volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Desk at (518) 274-2607 or Volunteer@UnityHouseNY.org for more information.
Thank you!