COMMUNITY SANTA PROGRAM

Each year the Children Services Division seeks volunteers from the community to help make the Christmas season a little brighter for children in custody and needy families we are serving.  Throughout the year we have 100 children in custody who have been removed from the care of their families and are living in alternate living arrangements: foster homes and residential placements.

Many of these children no longer have family they can depend on to bring the joy of the Christmas season into their lives.  In addition, Children Services is working with a number of parents to keep their families intact.  In today’s economy this is often a difficult thing to do and still provide joy at Christmas.

Lake County organizations, businesses, clubs and individuals have offered to become Santas for these children and families.  If you are interested contact 440-350-4317 or 440-350-4322, or cell 440-655-9276. You may help at whatever level is comfortable for you and your group.  You may adopt a child in custody or a family unit. We will provide you with a child or family and some gift suggestions.  To protect the confidentiality of our clients you will only receive first names and ages of each person.

Gifts should be wrapped and labeled with the individual’s name.  If you are providing Christmas for more than one family, each family unit should be packaged separately and labeled appropriately.  We discourage food donations as we are not equipped to store perishable items here at the agency.  We request that the donations be NEW items.  If you have used items (even gently used), please contact any one of the numerous agencies that can use these items.

We do not accept monetary donations however gift cards for grocery stores, gas stations or appropriate teen related stores are appreciated.  Unfortunately, the Lake County Department of Job and Family Services is not a charitable organization so although your gifts are very appreciated and much needed, they are not tax deductible.  If you wish to make a tax deductible donation it may be made to the Lake County Foster Parent Association who provides year round events for children in foster care.