By Adam Ophus

"Somebody Cares"

Women’s Shelter seeks sponsors for Adopt a Family program

Dec 13, 2019 | 9:32 AM

The season of giving is upon us, but for some families it’s a time of stress and struggle.

The Mountain Rose Women’s Shelter Association (MRWSA) is in the midst of their Christmas Adopt a Family program.

“Women with or without children that have been impacted by violence whether they’re in our shelter spending Christmas or they’re in the community but they’re struggling financially,” explains Executive Director Cindy Easton.

Families will make a list of items they’d like for Christmas and a donator or sponsor will do what they can to help.

Easton clarified that they won’t give out the names of families that require assistance for privacy reasons.

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“As an example, if it’s a mom and two kids we’ll get them to do a Christmas wish list alongside a little story and we give it to the family or company donating, and tell them they don’t have to buy everything on the list, but these are the things they’ve asked for,” she said.

Items can be dropped off around a week before Christmas and then the gifts will be given to the families in need.

After Christmas, usually in January, they’ll have the family’s write thank you cards for their supporters.

Easton retold a heartwarming story of one family in particular that had a Christmas they always dreamt of.

“One year we had a very large family in our shelter, and all the kids put together theirs lists. This young boy, he was around 5 years old, he wrote his list, but on the bottom of it he wrote, none of this is important, but I want a home for my family,” she recited.

“We left that in the note and gave it to the corporation that supported that family, and when they came in to drop off their gifts, I told them, by the way at the bottom of letter it said I just want a home, well this Saturday they’re moving into their new home and we’re giving them a Christmas tree, so that little boys wish came true.”

Cindy later described that they had another women who came in that used to be in the program and chose to become a supporter even though she didn’t have that much to give, because she knew how much it meant to a family.

“This is a great program, because it lets people know that somebody cares,” Easton admired.

To get involved with the program, people can call 403-845-5339 by Monday, December 16.

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