GLENDALE, CA — This holiday season, YWCA Glendale is inviting supporters to adopt a family in its Domestic Violence Program. The Adopt-a-Family Program is an easy way for people and organizations to give back to their community and provide joy and hope to women and children affected by domestic violence, many of whom find themselves spending the holidays in YWCA Glendale’s emergency shelter or alone with their children and away from support networks for the very first time.

The campaign helps relieve the stress of the holidays for families who are struggling to become self-sufficient and are dealing with poverty, unemployment, violence and abuse. Many parents in the YWCA Glendale program are unable to meet basic needs, much less buy their children holiday gifts. Through this campaign, supporters can give anything from toys, books and clothes to gift cards for groceries.

YWCA Glendale received a generous $1,500 grant from the Kiwanis Club of Glendale to support the Adopt-A-Family Program, which will provide gifts for more than 10 families.

“The holiday season is an extremely difficult time for families affected by domestic violence. For clients in our Domestic Violence Program, many may have left their home with just the clothes they had on and may be far from their families,” said Tara Peterson, executive director at YWCA Glendale. “It is thanks to the support of Kiwanis Club of Glendale and others that women and children in our program can experience the joy of the holidays.”

For those wishing to participate in the Adopt-a-Family Program, they can fill out a simple form on the YWCA Glendale website and staff will provide each sponsor a wish list from a family or individual in its program. Supporters can also make a donation and the YWCA Glendale will purchase gifts for families in their honor. For more information, visit www.ywcagp.org/adopt-a-family.

About YWCA Glendale

YWCA Glendale’s mission is to help women and children transform their lives with the support and tools they need to achieve economic independence, and have lives free from violence. In keeping with the national mission of YWCA USA, we also have a dual mission of “eliminating racism and empowering women.” To learn more about YWCA Glendale, visit www.ywcagp.org.

About the Kiwanis Club of Glendale

Founded in 1922, the Kiwanis Club of Glendale is an association of conscientious business, civic, professional, educational and community leaders who meet regularly for education, inspiration and fellowship and to select, plan and implement projects to improve our community, with focus on children and youth, elderly, underserved populations and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.glendalekiwanis.info.

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