A Season for Giving

Year after year we are amazed and humbled by the outpouring of support that is expressed for our kids during the holiday season. This year is no exception. While the needs are big, so are the hearts of our many friends and supporters.

There are many opportunities to participate in Embrace Families’ holiday activities. From making sure that the Christmas wish list of one of our older youth in foster care is fulfilled to donating to our end of year campaign, there is something for everyone who would like to contribute. We hope you consider joining us in one – or more! – of the following ways during this season of giving.

Fulfill a Holiday Wish list for one of our older youth
Our young adults are all too often overlooked during the holiday season. This year we hope to fulfill the wish lists of 147 youth ages 18 — 22. If you would like to help, please contact Santa’s helpers on the youth services team: Mariah.Gaines@embracefamilies.org and Keri.Flynn@embracefamilies.org.

Host a toy drive / donate holiday gifts
Thousands of Central Florida children and teens rely on Embrace Families supporters to fill their stockings during the holidays. If you are able to help, you can find ideas and/or a quick and easy way to donate via our Amazon Wish List set up for this purpose: bit.ly/embracefam (NOTE: Due to new Amazon privacy restrictions, we no longer receive contact information for those that donate. Sorry for the second step, but we want to acknowledge your gift. Please use this link to send us a quick note and let us know what you donated.)

Please also encourage others to get involved. To set up a holiday toy drive through your company, church, neighborhood or community organization, email Community.Relations@embracefamilies.org. We will quickly provide the information and tools you need to get started.

Volunteer at an upcoming Holiday Party and/or Toy Distribution
Embrace Families will host our annual holiday party and toy distribution in Osceola County in conjunction with the Kissimmee Elks Lodge on Saturday, December 14; in Orange County hosted by Rosen Shingle Creek on Saturday, December 21; and our teen holiday party is planned for the evening of Wednesday, December 11.

If you are interested in helping with set up or volunteering at any of these events, please let us know via email to Community.Relations@embracefamilies.org.

Contribute to Embrace Families’ year-end campaign
While the needs are great during the holidays, our support for Central Florida children and families extends all year round. Through a donation to our year-end campaign, you support important efforts to keep struggling families intact by addressing the root causes of abuse and neglect, such as poverty, homelessness and addiction. When a child can’t remain safely in their home, we support them through foster care, adoption, mentoring and beyond, to ensure that children in bad situations move toward brighter futures.

Your contribution makes a very real and direct difference in the lives of children who rely on us, their community, to keep them safe and to help them thrive. To donate: https://embracefamilies.org/donate

Donate a silent auction item (or sponsor a table)
Embrace Families signature annual fundraiser, Dance Dream & Inspire, is also right around the corner. That dazzling event — a local version of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars — will be held on February 1, 2020 at Hard Rock Live. The result is even more dazzling: 100% of proceeds benefit our those served by Embrace Families.
Event sponsorships, table reservations and Silent Auction item donations are all welcome and much appreciated. Please reach out to Rachel.Cohen@embracefamilies.org. if you can help. Find out more at www.dancedreaminspire.com.

Thank you for helping in whatever way you can. And here’s wishing the happiest of holiday seasons to you and your family.