FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2019
Annual Adopt-A-Family Program Fulfills Wish Lists of Critically-Ill Children and Their Siblings
NORTH SALEM, NY, November 1, 2019 -- Friends of Karen, which supports critically-ill children and their families, has launched their annual Holiday Adopt-A-Family program for 2019. The goal is to bring smiles to each Friends of Karen child and their siblings this holiday season.
 
As in years past, Friends of Karen will turn to both individuals, businesses and community groups to help spread the holiday spirit and shop to fill nearly 900 “Holiday Wish Lists” this season. Anyone wanting to help is asked to purchase one gift for one child or several gifts. For those unable to shop, Friends of Karen accepts cash donations to purchase the children's gifts.
 
“Each of our children sends us their wish list, and we match each child with a kind-hearted ‘elf’ who purchases one or more of the items on the list,” says Volunteer Coordinator, Denise Tredwell, who organizes the program. “Every child looks forward to the holidays, but when parents are caring for a child with a life-threatening illness, there’s no resources or time for shopping or even thinking about gifts. We want children to have joyful memories, even in the midst of illness.”
 
Friends of Karen asks for donors to help make sure there are gifts for every child. To participate in this annual tradition, please contact Denise Tredwell at 914-617-4052 or denisetredwell@friendsofkaren.org to get started.
 
“Thank you never feels like enough! With everything going on, buying gifts was really the last thing on my mind so when your box came in the mail it meant so much. To see the looks on my kids’ faces as they opened their gifts was priceless. So I want to express a deep and sincere thank you for continuing to support my son and my entire family with the utmost sensitivity and kindness…” ~ a Friends of Karen mom.
About Friends of Karen: Friends of Karen, established in 1978, provides emotional, financial and advocacy support for children with a life-threatening illness and their families in order to help keep them stable, functioning, and able to cope. Friends of Karen serves families living in the New York tri-state region and offers its lifeline of support services at no cost to them so they have more time for what's most important: each other. Friends of Karen has received top ratings from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that evaluates the financial efficiency and responsibility of over 9,000 U.S. charities. Friends of Karen also meets the 20 Standards of Charity Accountability of the BBB of Metropolitan New York.
 
For more information, visit www.friendsofkaren.org or call (914) 277-4547.
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