Adopting the holiday spirit of giving

Levittown School District students and residents became holiday elves at the culminating event for the Adopt-A-Family program on Dec. 12, wrapping hundreds of presents for local families in need. 

Esta Lachow and Gina Interdonato founded the Adopt-A-Family program eight years ago so that needy families in the district had plenty of presents for winter holidays. The district includes northern portions of Wantagh and Seaford. 

The initiative kicks off during the fall. Interdonato and Lachow reach out to social workers in all 10 district schools to identify families that could benefit from the program.

Because Adopt-A-Family helps people within the district, it is anonymous. Only the social workers know who receives the gifts, and they provide the program with wish lists.  

Once the organizers have a list of recipients, Lachow explained, they begin sending letters to employees, staff, faculty, PTSA volunteers and community members asking for help. After adopters and adoptees are matched up, the shopping begins. 

According to the school district, donors purchased toys, clothes, food and household items for 231 individuals this year. All items were brought to the Levittown Memorial Education Center for the annual gift-wrapping night.

“These are your friends and neighbors, and we thank each of you for all of your help with this program,” Lachow said at the event.