Recipients wanted for holiday gifts initiative

Outpouring of donors demonstrates Wright-Patt’s caring ways
This year the Adopt-A Family program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base needs more recipients than ever. Metro News Service photo

This year the Adopt-A Family program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base needs more recipients than ever. Metro News Service photo

More than 200 people in the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base community have stepped forward to sponsor children for holiday gifts, the Adopt-A-Family program said, and now potential recipients are being sought.

“We have a larger-than-usual number of sponsors; right now I have sponsors for up to 517 children,” said Senior Master Sgt. Scott Morin, first sergeant, 711th Human Performance Wing, United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Air Force Research Laboratory. “I think it’s a ‘perfect storm’ – people are saving money by what they’re not doing during the pandemic, and they see the Adopt-A-Family program as a way to give to charity and celebrate the holiday spirit.”

For those who are new to the base community or don’t know, the Adopt-A-Family program provides holiday gifts for eligible children up to age 18. Eligible families include members (E-5/GS-6 and below) in need who are assigned or employed at Wright-Patterson. Others of any rank or grade will be considered on a case-by-case basis; final eligibility will be determined by unit first sergeants. The Wright-Patterson First Sergeants Council is running the program this year.

“If anyone feels their family could benefit from the program and meets the criteria, reach out to me or their first sergeant,” Morin said. “We will not turn anyone away if their first sergeant agrees.”

Each eligible family is matched with an available sponsor. Each sponsor will be given an information packet with general, non-identifying information for the family they “adopt.” This packet includes the age, gender and gift ideas/interests for each child sponsored.

Sponsors will be met outside by Morin and other Airmen volunteers when they drop their gifts off in December at the Student Activity Center near Jarvis Fitness Center in the Kittyhawk Center of Area A.

Sponsor registration is available until Nov. 15. To become an Adopt-A-Family Program sponsor or volunteer to organize gifts for pickup/distribution, contact Morin at scott.morin.2@us.af.mil or 937-938-2673.

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