Seeking departments to ‘adopt a family’ for holidays

Toys, like this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle from an earlier drive, gift cards and other donations are needed.

Toys, like this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle from an earlier drive, gift cards and other donations are needed.

As the holidays approach, UNMC once again will partner with Nebraska Medicine to adopt families we serve at the hospital and UNMC. Those in need range from individuals who are ill, alone and have financial challenges to families with several children.

If your department wants to adopt a family, please fill out this form and email it to Cyndi Valieka or fax it to 559-4668 by Nov. 2 to allow the social work department adequate time to match your department with a family and give your department time to prepare your donation.

Please include in your notification the amount your department will be able to contribute. This helps to determine the size of family that can be helped. Social work will then match your department with a family and provide a wish list, with ages and sizes.

Social work will do everything they can to make sure each department is matched with a family before the Nov. 25 Thanksgiving weekend.

Large and small departments are invited to participate.

Donations of all sizes will help our families in need. Donations can be combined with other departments to support a family if needed.

The social work department is attempting to ease the process this year by asking the following of our adopting departments:

  • Please deliver gift cards to the social work office by Dec. 11 (so families can do their own shopping. The office is at 2404 University Tower.
  • Please deliver gifts to the social work office NO LATER than Monday, Dec. 21.
  • Please, no food deliveries this year. If you would like to assist with holiday meals, we ask that you provide a gift card to allow the family to shop for food for themselves at a store of their choice.
  • Please indicate if your department would be willing, or prefer, to provide just gift cards to a location(s) of the family’s choice to allow them to shop for themselves. Many families/parents appreciate the joy of shopping for Christmas for their families themselves, where others need assistance in the actual obtaining and wrapping of the items. Please indicate your preference if you have one.
  • Please indicate a contact person and number for your department if social work should have any questions.
  • You can contact social work office at 9-4420 regarding questions about your donations.
  • Because contributions are given directly to families, they are not tax deductible.