Ending Hunger Alliance of Marquette’s Adopt-A-Child Program helps kids in need this Christmas

MARQUETTE — The Christmas season is quickly approaching, and kids everywhere are already making their wish lists. While most wish lists are filled with toys and other costly items, some children are just hoping for a winter coat or a pair of warm socks.

The Ending Hunger Alliance of Marquette is working to help those children this Christmas. The program is called Adopt–A–Child, and it’s a way for anyone in the community to help a child in need this holiday season.

The children who are part of the Adopt–A–Child Program are selected by teachers, counselors, or other community professionals. The Ending Hunger Alliance of Marquette then receives a list of items those children need the most. That’s where the community comes in.

“When somebody wants to help purchase items they can give us a call, and we will give them a specific child,” said EHAM President Kelsey Gatiss. “We’ll give them the gender, the size that they’re in for clothing and shoes, and a list of items that are needed for that particular child. Then they can purchase them and drop them off here.”

Simply buying a few essential items and bringing them to the Ending Hunger Alliance could make all the difference for a child this Christmas.

This is the second year the Adopt–A–Child Program has been put on by the Ending Hunger Alliance. It’s just one of many ways the alliance helps to feed youth in the community throughout the year.

“Every year we do different projects,” said Gatiss. “Sometimes it is food drives for kids when they go on Christmas break and spring break. We’ve provided over 20,000 to families over the breaks. We started Adopt–A–Child last year,   and it was a huge success thanks to the support of our community, so we decided to do it again.”

All items donated for the Adopt–A–Child Project must be new and unwrapped. Donations are welcome anytime between now and December 13.

If you’d like to contact the Ending Hunger Alliance of Marquette to give to a child in need this Christmas, you can visit their Facebook page or call Kelsey Gatiss at (906) 371-0527. To learn more about the Ending Hunger Alliance of Marquette, visit their website.