by SARAH THOMACK
St. Joseph Post
One St. Joseph agency is thinking about Christmas in September as they begin discussions on how to conduct their annual holiday program during a pandemic.
The AFL-CIO Community Services Agency coordinates the Adopt-A-Family Christmas program each year which helps hundreds of families who need assistance during the holidays.
The agency's Soles for Christ shoe distribution was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns and AFL-CIO Executive Director Penny Adams says they expect the Christmas program will see some changes this year.
"We may have to start it a little bit early and we may have to do more applications by phone or some online applications," Adams tells St. Joseph Post.
Adams says they will soon be contacting adopters and volunteers who are regularly involved in the program for feedback.
"We depend on the adopters, without them we won't have our program," Adams says. "The majority of them go out and actually shop and some of them may not be willing to do that, but yet they might be willing to purchase gift certificates or things like that to give to the families. A lot of folks do online shopping so there might be a way around that shopping issue.”
For more information on the Adopt-A-Family Christmas program contact AFL-CIO Community Services at (816) 364-1131 or click here.