The economic crisis has brought more financial and emotional pressure than ever to Eastside kids and families facing job losses, pay cuts, and loss of benefits.

Bellevue-based Youth Eastside Services’ (YES) “Adopt-A-Family” program provides a welcome relief to these pressures by bringing community members together.

Every year, the Youth Eastside Services’ “Adopt-A-Family” program helps spread holiday cheer by matching companies, community groups, or individual sponsors with families in need of assistance during the holiday season.  

Sponsors are given a wish list from their adopted family and are expected to give a minimum of one new, unwrapped gift to each family member, as well as an article of clothing to each child in the family. 

“The demand for our services has increased dramatically since the economic crisis set in,” said Adopt-A-Family coordinator Anthony Blankenship. “Families in our community need assistance more than ever and we hope that with the help from generous sponsors they can still experience the joy of the Holidays.”

YES is accepting “Adopt-A-Family” sponsors through November 17. Gifts and articles of clothing must be delivered to the YES office in Bellevue at 999 164 Ave. NE by December 15.

To sponsor a family or to find out about other ways to help, contact Anthony Blankenship at (425) 586-2323 or AnthonyB@YouthEastsideServices.org.