Adopt-a-child by adopting a wish

MARQUETTE — Adopting a child is a great way of giving back on ‘Giving Tuesday’ but it’s not always possible, so every year Teaching Family Homes in Marquette is able to adopt a child’s Christmas wish list instead, with the help of the community.

The National Weather Service in Negaunee has been helping adopt a foster child’s wish list for almost 10 years. This year they were able to adopt 15 different children with volunteers from the company each adopting one child and shopping for their gifts.

“Each employee who is participating looks at those wish lists and decides which is a good match for them, and it depends. We have employees that want to take little girls wish lists or older boys and they just look at the lists that we get and pick one that fits what they like to do too,” said Gwen Akom, of the National Weather Service in Negaunee.

“It allows us to give back, I mean, there is a need out there and we are doing what we can, locally, to meet that need,” added Robin Turner, also of the weather service.

Many of these children wish for mostly necessities, such as clothing and bedding, proving the needs foster children face.

If anyone is interested in helping gift these children with presents on Christmas Day, they are encouraged to call or visit Teaching Family Homes.