Adopt-A-Family helps nearly 450 families during holidays

It’s the time of giving, and in Saskatoon vehicles filled with donations are making their way to the Salvation Army.

650 CKOM’s and Rock 102’s 36th-annual Adopt-A-Family program is nearing its end, and close to 450 families will feel the positive effects of the program.

Donors are matched with Saskatoon-area families through The Salvation Army, then the donors shop for gifts and groceries to help ensure the holiday is a special one for a family in need.

One of the donors, Kamini Erker, said she partnered up with her emergency medicine co-workers to help even more families than she could on her own.

She said she ended up with 20 boxes of donations, including one from an unlikely source.

“One box was also from the residents, which is awesome,” said Erker.

“They put together their own time and money and bought the toys and made a box.”

Erker said she’s been donating to Adopt-A-Family for three years, but this was the first year she partnered up with others to give even more.

She said “the idea of a family not having anything out there” was her motivation to start giving back.

“You just want to get the kids the best toys and give a little bit of money for some food,” she said.

“We see how hard up people are, so I like that we are making a little small difference.”

Derek Kerr, executive director of community and family services for the Salvation Army, said the organization operates three different programs for families in nee

Donations to Adopt-A-Family are wrapped in Christmas bags. (Heather Bonynge/Submitted)

d of help during the holiday season.

If the client chooses to be sponsored, they are included in the Adopt-A-Family program.

The feeling of giving back and helping those in need means a lot to Kerr and his family, he said.

“My wife and I originally came to the Salvation Army years ago as clients,” said Kerr.

“So when clients come to us and say ‘You don’t get it,’ we get it. We’ve been sponsored at Christmas before.”

Heather Bonynge, one of the lead organizers for Adopt-A-Family, said this year’s program has been a great success.

“Every year we are blown away by the generosity of Saskatoon and surrounding areas,” said Bonynge. “This year, we have had almost 450 families helped through the program.”

Bonynge said that number is fairly typical for the long-running program.

“Every year we see anywhere between 300 and 550 families helped,” said Bonynge.

This year’s program brought in $60,700 in donations.

Gift distributions and pickups are happening until Thursday.