Odyssey House Women’s Shelter is one of the organizations looking to make this holiday season brighter for those in need in Grande Prairie with the Adopt-A-Family program. Executive Director Lisa Watson says that the program started to ensure their families would have a happy holiday and is a program that has been around for numerous years in the community.
“The holiday season around Odyssey House is exciting, and kind of a mixed-feeling time. It can be really difficult for families to be away from their regular home.”
Watson says she hopes getting the word out will help encourage businesses or individuals to adopt a family this Christmas. The size of families up for adoption varies from a family with two members to a family with at least six. She adds the Adopt-a-Family gifts are asked to be dropped off by December 16th, but someone can sign up to be paired with a family right up until December 15th.
Watson adds the community’s support of this program helps provide Odyssey House families with a great holiday season.
“It’s really an opportunity for families to get together and celebrate, while also giving the community the opportunity to give back,” Watson says.
The Helping Hands Society of Grande Prairie is another local organization that helps families during the holiday season by partnering with a Secret Santa. As of December 7th, there were 96 families still in need of a Secret Santa on that list.