Gift-giving effort aids 205 families

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 1/27/15

More than 200 families were helped this past holiday season thanks to West Bay Community Action Inc. and its sponsors.

As a charitable organization, West Bay works to help those within the Kent …

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Gift-giving effort aids 205 families

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More than 200 families were helped this past holiday season thanks to West Bay Community Action Inc. and its sponsors.

As a charitable organization, West Bay works to help those within the Kent County community who are struggling economically. Last year alone they provided assistance to 9,700 families.

With the Adopt-A-Family program, families who normally may not have the funds to enjoy the holidays while continuing to pay for basic necessities are given gifts from the community.

“Around the Christmas season, the Adopt-A-Family program helps alleviate stress in struggling families so they don’t have to make the choice between having to buy gifts for a happy holiday season or rent, putting food on the table,” said Paul Salera, West Bay’s president and CEO.

Participants in the program represent single-parent working families of anywhere from two to seven people. Many of the families are already involved in one of West Bay’s other programs or have been referred by a case manager or other institution.

Once a family is chosen, they create a wish list for themselves. Individuals, organizations and business can then “adopt” the entire family for the season.

Families typically ask for gift certificates to grocery stores, and children ask for clothing and winter wear such as warm jackets and gloves more frequently than toys.

“It is the best time of the year,” Salera said. “The services we provide help people out of crisis, and that really touches their hearts. When they come in to pick up their gifts, they have usually, as a whole family, asked for 10 maybe 12 things. But when they see what is usually 50 or so wrapped up gifts, it’s usually an immediate reaction for them to cry with gratitude. We can say that we really make people’s lives better and happier … Without the great community we live in, all of this would be impossible. We run primarily off donations and the work of our amazing volunteers.”

On average, about $400 to $500 is spent per family.

The whole program is done confidentially. Sponsors do not know which family they have received, although they can make requests about the size of the family or how many families they will take. Families are not made aware of who has helped them, although they do provide a “thank you” card.

Salera believes people are helpful not just because it is the season of giving, but because many have experienced the difficulty of putting gifts under the tree themselves and feel compassion towards those who are even less fortunate.

“The families we are helping are struggling to meet the basic needs, never mind gifts for the whole family,” Salera said. “It’s hard to tell your children, ‘Yes, you’ve been good all year, but Santa isn’t coming this year.’”

Although the Adopt-A-Family program has finished for the year, West Bay accepts donations on its website, www.westbaycap.org. The agency also accepts food donations, preferably pasta, soup, peanut butter and other non-perishables.

They also have many volunteer opportunities available.

West Bay would also like to thank its supporters and the sponsors of Adopt a Family:

Academy for Little Children, Amgen-Human Resources, Arpin Group, Inc, Arthur & Patricia Dalesandro, Auto Raptor, B2BGateway.Net, Bank of America on Bald Hill Road, BNI WIN Chapter, the Bucci family, Build A Bear Workshop, Carolyn Dutra Dance Studio, the Central Rhode Island Chamber Board of Directors and staff, Centreville Saving Bank, Chapel Grille Restaurant, the city of Warwick tax collector’s office, Concentra Urgent Care, CSC Paymaster Inc., CVS Health, Denise Agnew, DuPont Water Technologies, East Greenwich/Warwick Garden Club, Elite Physical Therapy Inc., EMC Insurance Companies-Providence Branch, the employees of Arrest A Pest Inc., Eunis & Associates CPA Inc., Focus Yoga, Franks Rental, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, Greenwood Community Church, Greenwood Montessori School, Holliman School & Staff, Immaculate Conception Church, Imperial Pearl, Kathy L’Heuroux, Anne Marie Gleason, Michelle Allard, Ken Robbins, Jason Titone, Maryann Lawlor, Jeff Brown, Tom Dennison, Kristine St. Pierre, L&R Salon, Lester K. Goodwin, Mc Laughlin & Moran Inc., Mc Laughlin & Moran Inc.’s drivers, Meg Kenney Photography, Mr. and Mrs. John Pisaturo and family, Mrs. Gloria, Natco Products, Natural Resources Conservation Services Employee Group, Nichole Molly, Pentair, Pinnacle Service Solutions Group, Prestige Fitness & Gymnastics Center Inc., Province Mortgage Associates, Quidnesset Condo Book Club, Raye Kingston-Kramer, the Robbins family, Saint Catherine Parish, Sandy, Sarah, Vanessa, Lindsay, and Sindy, School Street Dermatology, Shauna Leighton, the Spinelli family, St. Joseph School, Stephany and Adam Hessler, the Amore family, the Apostolou family, The Catering Gourmet, The Galgoczy Family, The Providence Mutual, the United Way of Rhode Island, The Washington Trust Co.’s Centerville office, Trupiano Family, University Urological Associates, Valley Fuel/Warwick Oil, Warwick Public Library, West Bay Ortho Physical Therapy, Westbay Mom & Dad Group, Wilson Family, and XRA Medical Imaging.

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