Annual Program Helps Spread Holiday Cheer

With the holiday season upon us, Astor Services for Children & Families, a nonprofit organization providing behavioral health and educational services to thousands of children and their families throughout the Hudson Valley and the Bronx, is seeking monetary donations and gift cards to select retailers for its annual Adopt-A-Family program this holiday season.

For more than 16 years, the Adopt-A-Family program has paired children enrolled in Astor programs and their families (18 and under) with donors who purchase gifts for them during the holiday season.

In the wake of the pandemic, safety procedures and modifications were made to the program, where the Adopt-A-Family program sought monetary donations and gift cards. Cancelling this program was not an option, especially while families were struggling due to the pandemic. This year, like last year, instead of wrapped gifts, gift cards will be sent directly to the families of the children registered.

“A gift card is more than a gift – it’s empowerment,” said Trish Luchnick, Director of Family Driven Care of The Children’s Foundation of Astor. “It strengthens a family’s bond and offers hope during the holidays and beyond. Last year, through the generous donations received from individuals, local businesses, and foundations, Astor’s Adopt-A-Family program provided gift cards to more than 2,300 children in the Hudson Valley and the Bronx. Gift cards enable parents to make personalized gift giving decisions for their families and experience joy as their children open a gift chosen personally for them.”

Astor hopes that with the community’s generosity, it will be able to provide some holiday joy to families in need. For more information about the program, or to sign up to donate, visit www.astorservices.org/adopt-a-family or contact Dana Valdez at dvaldez@astorservices.org.

In mid-January, Astor will host a Zoom meeting where donors will have an opportunity to meet some of the families whose lives they have positively impacted. More information on the event will be available in December.

About Astor Services for Children & Families
Astor Services for Children & Families, as it has since 1953, promotes the well-being of children, adolescents and their families through a range of programs that prevent and treat emotional problems and facilitate healthy development. Now serving more than 10,000 children and families annually, Astor’s current range of services to families in the Mid-Hudson Valley and the Bronx include: Residential Treatment, Therapeutic Foster Family Care, Early Childhood Programs, and Community-Based Behavioral Health and Prevention Services. For additional information please visit http://astorservices.org/ or call (845) 871-1117.