Odyssey House is looking to make the holiday season a whole lot more special for families in Grande Prairie, as they kick off the 2019 Adopt-a-Family campaign.
The annual holiday program, which is spurred on by the generosity from those in Grande Prairie, provides gifts and dinners to single-mother families in the Grande Prairie area after being matched with a donor.
Director of Communications with Odyssey House Makayla Marcotte says the long term effect this program can have on the recipients is astounding.
“We had one mother comment that she was ‘amazed at the generosity and graciousness of the community, and nowhere I lived before was this amazing to those needing help’,” she says
“I think any parent wants the ability to provide for their family during the holiday season and have their kids come down to special gifts,” she adds.
Marcotte says one of the most important aspects of the program, is the ability to provide the family with a gift card to a grocery store of their choosing. She says it provides more than just a meal, it gives those families who have perhaps been living through instability, the chance to feel connected around the holiday season.
Last year, the program provided 34 single mothers, along with 67 children, with over $14,000 worth of food, gifts and various holiday-related items.
To get matched with a family this year, residents, can email [email protected], or call 780-538-1332 extension 101 to get involved.