Batavia United Way December 2018
We did it! 2018 Adopt A Family is a wrap!
126 Families, 304 kids, 95+ Sponsors, a few dozen volunteers = A very Merry Christmas!
We could not have accomplished this without each individual, family, business, team, church, group and school who participated in this incredible undertaking! Thank you very much for making the season bright for so many!
Thank you BPS 101 Staff!
Counselors, Social Workers and BPS staff vetted each family and worked with them to complete wish lists. Special thanks to Amy Nelson from the district office who made sure every list was accounted for! On family pick up da,y each family received a warm and personal greeting from Amy Nelson and Lisa Palese of Student Services.
Dr. Lisa Hichens and Brad Newkirk were on hand to move packages and load cars.
Sandra Acosta and the staff at Grace McWayne School was our host this year, re-arranging classrooms to squeeze us in, providing storage and hand crafting the details that made us festive. Well done!
Generous Sponsors and willing shoppers provided thousands of gifts and supplies!
A bright red bike, Bear Grylls survival books, several fishing poles, jewelry box, coats, gift cards, cleaning supplies, groceries, stockings, toys,and so much more!

Cash and gift cards raised by Batavia Youth Baseball, Batavia Dance team and indivual families saved the day when we wanted to fill a few holes and pick up a few kids that were missed after drop off night. At least 100 kids will go to the movies over their holiday break and even more will visit a favorite restaurant or Funway, providing a real escape.

If you can access our facebook page, please do so. We have posted 3 beautiful thank you notes already received from adopted families. This note came to us by email:

" I just wanted to say Thank You to all that donated and contributed to the holiday program!! This is honestly the nicest gesture I've ever encountered. When I get my family back to where we were (& I will!) I'd love to be a part of the donating and helping out other families. It's incredibly hard for me to not cry. You have no idea how much I appreciate this! Thank you so much & Merry Christmas! "
Volunteers - pulling it all together!
Thanks to our team who unloaded cars, assembled boxes, organized and hauled. They were all smiles because each lap took them by a table with platters of homemade Christmas cookies made by even more volunteers. The hundreds not enjoyed at drop off night were divided into containers and went home with our adopted families on pick up day. They were thrilled and appreciative. Thank you Becky Hooper and baking team!
We are pleased to provide this holiday boost and ray of hope for our families who are struggling and once again, thank you for your support. It does not end with Christmas. Each family was given information about the NEW Kane County 211 social service and resource hotline now available 24/7/365 for Kane County residents. Now, there will always be a kind specialist available to help find assistance where needed.