Causecast

“ADOPT” A FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Beyond Shelter’s Adopt-A-Family Program connects sponsors with homeless families in Los Angeles County to “adopt” for the Holidays. Sponsors are provided with a family profile and wish list, buy presents for the family, and deliver them wrapped to Beyond Shelter. The family’s Case Manager then delivers the presents to the families in the week before Christmas.

The families that get adopted through this program are in dire need of assistance. They are all participants in Beyond Shelter “Housing First Program” for Homeless Families and are either currently homeless (living in a shelter or other temporary emergency housing) or we have just helped them to move into permanent rental housing. They are all in the process of trying to rebuild their lives.

The majority of the families we serve are headed by single mothers raising their children alone. Many of them became homeless because of domestic violence. They are families that are surviving on extremely limited incomes and struggle to afford the most basic of necessities. Christmas presents are a luxury completely out of their reach.

For families who do not get adopted in the Adopt-A-Family Program, we run a Holiday Toy Drive where we collect new and unwrapped toys and distribute them unwrapped to the parents. In this way, the gifts can come from the parents and not from us.

With both programs, homeless families get a chance to celebrate something in the midst of what is probably the most difficult period of their lives. Just knowing that somebody cares for them can make a major difference in their lives.

The last day to sign up for the Adopt-A-Family Program is 12/9/09, unless all the families are already adopted by that time. However, please keep in mind that the deadline to deliver your gifts 12/13/09.
For more information on the Adopt-A-Family Program, please click here.

BEYOND SHELTER’S HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
For the homeless parents we serve, buying Christmas presents for their children is a luxury out of their reach. It is our goal during the Holidays to provide each of these children with high quality Christmas presents.

Beyond Shelter coordinates a Holiday Toy Drive where we collect new and unwrapped toys for homeless children between the ages of 0-18, arrange them by gender and age-appropriateness, and distribute them unwrapped to the parents. In this way, the presents can come from the parents and not from us. We rely entirely on donations to do this. Suggested gifts include:
* Educational toys
* Stuffed animals
* Multi-cultural dolls (for different ages)
* Books (for all ages)
* Building blocks
* Cars & trucks
* Sports equipment (basketballs, soccer balls, footballs)
* Skates/skateboards
* Authentic sports jerseys
* Video games/Hand held games
* Music & DVDs
* Age-appropriate gifts for teenagers
(jewelry, cosmetics, watches, DVD players)

Please deliver your new, unwrapped toys no later than
Friday, December 12, 2009 to
Beyond Shelter’s Administrative Office at:

1200 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90017

For more information, please click here.

KMART HOUSEWARMING GIFT REGISTRY
Help family moving into new housing by providing them with much needed household essentials. For gift registry information, please click here.

IN-KIND DONATIONS
Beyond Shelter continually seeks donations of items to support the families we serve. Every item donated is distributed directly to the families and children or to the programs that serve them. We do not re-sell any items. While we appreciate all donations, we ask that every item donated be new or gently used in great condition. If you would like to make a donation or need additional information, please call: (213) 252-0772. All donations are tax-deductible. For a list of items that will greatly benefit our families, please click here.

VOLUNTEER
There are many ways you can volunteer at Beyond Shelter, from tutoring children at our service-enriched apartment complexes to helping in our main offices. Please call (213) 252-0772 for more information.