Hundreds of Gifts Collected at Annual Adopt-A-Family Event

Submitted by the Yomechas Federation. Photo: (left to right) Allison Waden, Thomas Willard, Andrew Willard, Cate Willard, Kristen Willard , Lauren Donahue.

Woodridge, IL - On Saturday morning, Dec. 5, leaders and families from the Yomechas Federation Guides and Princesses collected hundreds of gifts for families in need in DuPage County.

Families gathered at the Yomechas office in Woodridge at 7425 Janes Ave. and emptied the conference center.

They needed all the room they could get, because at 9 a.m., representatives from each of the over 40 Yomechas family circles or “tribes” started arriving, each with a car full of wrapped gifts. In total, over 600 gifts were collected, with a total value of over $15,000.

For many years, the Yomechas have partnered with Metropolitan Family Services of DuPage to make the holidays a little brighter for some of the children served by their Head Start program. Metropolitan Family Services of DuPage provides programs and services promoting economic stability, education, emotional wellness and empowerment to local families, many of whom desperately want to see even a little wish come true for their children this Christmas.

The Yomechas Federation matches each of its participating children with an anonymous child in need, and supplies the donating family with the child’s age, gender, and a list of three wished-for items. A suggested spending limit helps ensure that all recipients feel equally cherished.

This year, there were so many interested Yomechas families that the Federation reached out to the Volunteers of America, a national non-profit, faith-based organization dedicated to supporting and empowering America’s most vulnerable groups, who were able to help match Yomechas kids with some of the children of the families they serve.

For many donating families, this annual event provides an opportunity to talk to their children about the joys of giving, an exercise in creative budgeting, and an excuse to spend a little time together in the midst of an ever-intensifying holiday season.

Heath Mielke, Federation Scout stated, “My son, Will, and I shopped for a little 4 year old girl this year, and bought a Frozen doll and some Legos for her. We enjoy doing this together and being able to provide some Christmas gifts for someone who may not be as blessed this year.”

In addition to the Adopt-A-Family event, The Yomechas Federation continues to support Sioux YMCA of South Dakota. Members have donated nearly $2,000 this year in support of this worthy organization, which strives to teach and encourage the values of Generosity, Wisdom, Bravery and Respect to youth and families in the isolated communities on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation.

About Yomechas Federation Guides & Princesses
For over 40 years, the Yomechas Federation Guides & Princesses has provided parents and children unique opportunities to spend one-on-one time together while participating in adventurous activities. The Yomechas Federation Guides & Princesses serves Downers Grove, Lisle, Naperville, Woodridge, Lemont, Westmont, Darien, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Oak Brook, Burr Ridge, Willowbrook and parts of several other Chicago Illinois area villages. Members may live in any town, village or unincorporated area.