ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Opening gifts under the Christmas tree is such a great feeling, and the county wants to make sure every child has something to unwrap this holiday season. Albany County has kicked off their 35th annual Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays Program on Tuesday. The program has helped make the holidays a special time for nearly 300 local children and families.

The county is looking for generous families and local businesses to donate brand new toys, and all toys will go toward struggling Albany County families. The COVID-19 pandemic is slightly changing the way the it operates. You can donate and fill out a registration form online. You can email your form at: CYFAdoptAFamily@albanycountyny.gov or you can call (518) 447-5580.

Now with supply chain concerns, the county is looking to purchase toys ASAP, giving them enough time to go over each child’s wish-list to make sure they have everything before Santa comes down the chimney! They say a small donation goes a long way.

“Often times they can be single parents, or parents with a lot of children and it came be very overwhelming so just bringing that spirit up really goes a long way,” says Moira Manning, Commissioner of the Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families.

In 2020 alone, over 300 families had better holidays because of the Adopt-A-Family program:

  • 227 donors including school and church groups, federal, state and municipal offices, corporations and businesses, families and individuals “adopted” 247 families. 
  • 47 Donors including school and church groups, federal, state and municipal offices, corporations and businesses, families and individuals contributed $24,368.
  • 12 Donors contributed new, unwrapped gifts which were distributed among several families who could not be matched with specific donors. Families were also provided with a combination of Visa, Target, Walmart, Hannaford &/or Market 32 gift cards.

“Thank you so much for making our Christmas a wonderful experience, we were so happy with the gifts and truly blessed to know there are people still out there who have big hearts and are willing to help families who are in need. We are forever grateful,” said from a mother of “adopted” family.

Peter Scotto, President of Advanced Therapy presented a $10,000 check to the program for the second year in a row.