Holiday gift drive for Princeton ISD families still needs sponsors for 384 children with three weeks left

Princeton Gives, the holiday program that buys Christmas gifts and meals for Princeton ISD families in need, still had 384 children waiting for a sponsor as of Monday, with three weeks left to adopt them.

The district said in its Nov. 9 update that 610 students from 214 families have been approved for help so far this year, the program's 19th. Adoptions stay open until Monday, Nov. 30.

The numbers so far

More families can still apply. They do so through counselors at each campus, and applications are reviewed first-come, first-served, with need checked against free and reduced-price meal records and other circumstances such as a new financial hardship. The deadline for families to turn in applications to their campus counselor is Friday, Nov. 20.

Last year, the district said, 1,253 children from 458 Princeton families were adopted. The Lions Club, which sponsors the program with the district, has been able to help every eligible applicant in each of the past 18 years, and the district said that remains the top goal.

"We couldn't do this without the help from the community," Superintendent Donald McIntyre, a longtime Lions Club member, said in the district's update.

How to adopt a child

Register through the district's Princeton Gives page (princetonisd.net/PrincetonGives) to adopt one or more children.
Plan to spend about $75 per child on items from the child's wish list, such as toys and clothes.
Leave gifts unwrapped and label each one with the family and child number from the adoption form, using removable labels rather than writing on the items.
Drop off gifts starting Monday, Nov. 30. The last day for drop-off is Friday, Dec. 4.

Distribution to families begins Wednesday, Dec. 2. The district says the Dec. 4 cutoff is meant to get everything to families before schools let out for Christmas break.

Adoption trees are also set up at the Princeton-Lowry Crossing Chamber of Commerce, Peoples Bank, Culleoka Water Supply Corp. and SouthState Bank. Before taking its current name, the program was known as Angel Tree.

Sources

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