By VASHTI HARRIS
Staff Writer
SOUTH RIVER – This holiday season, the South River High School Adopt-A-Family Program Club is asking residents to give back to those in their own backyards.
The club is requesting donations to help create a positive and memorable holiday by supplying gifts, clothing, toys, necessities, food or monetary donations for less fortunate families in South River. A dropoff bin is located at the South River Public Library on Appleby Avenue.
“Santa Claus will be delivering the gifts to the families on Dec. 23,” South River Adopt-A-Family Advisor Debbie Zemann said.
In the past, this program has been able to assist more than 100 children in the community as a result of the donations received.
“Adopt-A-Family has been a South River High School club for the last year. Prior to that, it was an extension of the Parent Teacher Association for well over 20 years. Now, as a club, the students are assisting with organizing, fundraising, shopping, wrapping and sorting the gifts,” Zemann said. “As the years go by we assist more and more families. This year, 33 families have been recommended for assistance and last year we helped 31 families. The program runs solely on donations and we are very fortunate with the amount of donations we receive each year.”
