ECHO seeks contributors for Adopt-a-Family program
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ECHO Adopt-a-family program
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Jessica L. Schafer
JANESVILLE — As the economy continues to sputter and the holidays rapidly approach, charitable groups in the area struggle to help those in need get some “happy” for their holidays.
At ECHO, 65 S. High St., Janesville, this time of year means a lot of work goes into the Adopt-A-Family program. The initiative pairs sponsors throughout the community with families unable to provide gifts at Christmas.
Jessica Schafer, client advocate and office manager at ECHO, said sponsors range from businesses to youth groups to private individuals. Those in need file requests with ECHO, which in turn finds sponsors best suited to help that family.
Schafer explained how the program works:
Q: How does a needy family get involved in the program?
A: Families can visit ECHO and fill out a list of gift requests. Families create a wish list where each person can request five pieces of clothing, five fun items plus five household items that benefit everybody in the household.
Q: Once a sponsor expresses interest in the program, what happens next?
A: Schafer finds a family that best fits that sponsor. The sponsor then receives the family’s gift request list so he/she/they can shop for items. Sponsors then have the choice of delivering the items directly to the family or dropping them off at ECHO.
Q: How much money is the donor expected to spend?
A: On average, the minimum spent on each person has been $50, depending on the group. ECHO asks that sponsors buy at least two items per family member, and that they spend the same amount on each person.
Q: How many sponsors are needed?
A: At press time, 66 families had been adopted. Nearly 100 families were adopted in 2010, and Schafer expects more will seek help this year. Schafer also said funding is desperately needed for Adopt-A-Family’s toy program.
Q: How soon must a sponsor decide if he/she/they want to adopt a family?
A: Sponsors must sign up with ECHO by Friday, Nov. 18. To do so, call Schafer at (608) 754-5333 or stop in at the ECHO office.
Q: What is the deadline for gift delivery?
A: For those planning to drop purchases off at ECHO, deadline is Monday, Dec. 12. Those planning to delivery directly to families can do so until Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Q: How often is a family eligible for the Adopt-a-Family program?
A: Because ECHO provides help to more than 3,000 families annually, eligibility is once every three years.
Nov 4, 2011 at 6:23 p.m.
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Sandman explained why we now have more in poverty than when President Johnson declared a "war on poverty" decades ago. The questions about screening for actual need may be continuing backlash from this story where ECHO was paying or helping to pay 9 months of rent for a couple while photos had them standing in front of their large screen TV.
http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2010/dec...
Nov 4, 2011 at 4:28 p.m.
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saxcat- The older lady, I bet, doesn't let ECHO know the son lives there.
This is some of the abuse I have spoken about that angers me.
I do Angel tree and sit the booth for a couple shifts.
Nov 4, 2011 at 2:10 p.m.
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My wife and I have "adopted" a family for the past several years and will do so again this year. In the past we have dropped off the gifts at ECHO for staff to pass them along to the family. This year we are going to deliver the presents directly to the family, so that we see exactly who is benefiting from the program. We have always felt good about helping another family have a joyous holiday season; I expect that connecting a face to our donation will be pretty powerful.
Nov 4, 2011 at 1:48 p.m.
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janesvillian...thanks, that's great and I volunteer with an agency that verifies need to make sure we get our resources to those who really need them.
Nov 4, 2011 at 1:12 p.m.
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Thanks for that info janesvillean that answers some questions I had, I am definitely going to contact ECHO to help out.
Nov 4, 2011 at 10:44 a.m.
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donnaw, yes, ECHO does have an application process, and assistance is granted depending on the need of the household. Since there is far more need than there are services, ECHO has to prioritize for the most needy.
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Sandman, if you read the article, you would see that families can only participate in this program once every three years, and they would have to apply new each time. I suppose in your tough-man fantasy-world, that counts as "dependence", but it's pretty far between stops on that train line.
Nov 4, 2011 at 9:20 a.m.
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The sad thing about ECHO and similar public and private programs is that while their goals are righteous and well-meaning, over time people, families and indeed generations can and have become both dependent and even demanding of such give-away programs.
While there are some who might need such assistance short-term, and a few longer, there are now far too many who are little short of addicted to handouts. There is no improvement likely in self-esteem or self-motivation in rewarding such behavior and extending it long-term only embeds and wires the behavior that much deeper.
Some think that Nature (or Darwinism) is survival of the fittest. That is an error. In truth, organisms adapt to take advantages of opportunities in their environments. Handout programs have simply become one such opportunity, with dependency, entitlement and manipulation following close behind.
While charity may laudable, compassion is truth--not boundless sympathy and excuses. Programs should focus on getting "families" (if that archaic term even fits nowadays) to work and to function on their own, and a judicious culling of the recipient pool eligibility standards and the development of functional options is needed to weed out the inappropriate recipients. To do otherwise is a disservice to their own generations to come, not to mention those that are expected to pay for and support such a burgeoning nonproductive and dysfunctional population.
PS Perhaps someone can translate shelterman's comments for me? "Those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me." Maybe it's a parable or an aphorism, but frankly I can't make heads or tails of it.
Nov 4, 2011 at 8:59 a.m.
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shelterman, step away from the pipe.
Nov 4, 2011 at 8:58 a.m.
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Did anybody understand the last post?
Nov 4, 2011 at 8:38 a.m.
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do you have a statement of faith ? government founding must be low so you hit on the church use your reserve oh wait then you would need this faith you claim maybe the gazzette should just found you then you can stop begging!! stop makeing the poor all about you get back to being about them you have your reward your {paid}
Nov 4, 2011 at 8:25 a.m.
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I know two people who get food from echo. a capable 60 year old woman who has never looked for a job in the 10 years I have known her, and her son who has a great job but gets food from her because she takes more than she needs.
Nov 4, 2011 at 8:22 a.m.
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why don't they ask Hooters to have a fundraiser?
Nov 4, 2011 at 6 a.m.
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Does Echo verify that the families are needy?
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