Families Helping Families 2020: Goal to help 2,600 families across the Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - For 29 years, Families Helping Families has helped ease the burden of thousands of families in need by providing gifts, clothing, food, and other essentials at Christmas.

The goal this year is to help 2,600 families across the Midlands.

Families are referred to Families Helping Families by social service organizations and schools as having needs beyond their own staff’s ability to help.

For various reasons, these families find themselves needing help. For many, a constant lack of food in the home may affect the overall health of the family.

1. Sponsor a family by adopting one or more senior citizens, disabled adult or families. If you choose to sponsor a family and purchase gifts, you will be given a date during the first two weeks of December to deliver the gifts to our warehouse. To adopt a family, please make your request online at www.fhfmidlands.org. You’ll pick the size of the family you’d like and we’ll send you, via e-mail, all the requirements and instructions needed to provide for the family. Once you receive the email and acknowledge receipt, you will be the only source of Christmas help for the family or senior. We think you’ll spend a minimum of $75 per family member - so it’s good to get a group of friends, family members, co-workers or church members together to help do this.
2. Volunteer by working a shift at the Family Helping Families distribution center (Nov. 30 through Dec. 18). Please e-mail nkilloy@palmettoproject.org for more information about volunteering. Due to COVID19 restrictions, we will be taking many precautions to keep our volunteers safe, and for 2020 we ask that all of our volunteers be age 18 or older. Please know that one of our main considerations will be the health and safety of our staff, sponsors, volunteers, recipient families and agency representatives. All drop-offs and pick-ups will be conducted drive-thru only. Upon arriving at the warehouse, we will ask you to remain in your vehicle while a face-masked, health-screened volunteer unloads your car or trunk.
3. Make a tax-deductible donation. These funds are critical so that gifts and food for families who have not been sponsored can be provided and relatively low operating expenses are covered. Donations can be made by check and mailed to: Families Helping Families, PO Box 5141, Columbia, SC 29250 -- or by credit card online by clicking or tapping here.

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