For over twenty years, the Bucks County Opportunity Council has been helping residents of Bucks County struggling financially during the holiday season with their Adopt-a-Family program. The holiday season can prove to be an overwhelming time for families struggling financially. This program provides financial assistance for the holidays to people already enrolled in BCOC programs by pairing participant households with donors to purchase gifts and gift cards for the holidays.
Donors decide how many families and/or individuals they would like to sponsor, sign up on the BCOC website, and are sent the names and ages of all family members and a donation form with instructions via email. The suggested donation value is $100 per family member and up. These are families who are actively working with a coach on the BCOC team to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Adults with no family or children are also available to sponsor, including seniors. Often, this program provides the only gifts that are received.
Community members have made an incredible impact over the years with their generous support and eagerness to make the holiday special, and donors tend to return year after year, often expressing their sense of fulfillment and community when they participate.
“The holiday support brought joy and relief during a time that can often be stressful, allowing me to focus on creating happy memories rather than worrying about finances. This program lifted a weight off my shoulders and helped me get through. I am truly grateful for the support and kindness during these crucial times.” - Ashley, single mother
The program is open and ready for sponsors with all donations due by December 10, 2025. The link to sign up is also available here: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/AAFAMILY2025. For questions, please reach out to Danielle Bush, Volunteer and Community Connections Manager, at dbush@bcoc.org.
BCOC is the lead anti-poverty, non-profit organization in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, dedicated to ending poverty by connecting people with the resources they need to thrive.
BCOC has five major program areas: Housing, Food, Weatherization, Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) and the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) Program. Housing includes emergency services, rental and move in aid, and utility shut-off prevention. The Food Program supplies food directly to families through a network of 75 food pantries and distribution sites. Weatherization services help families in reducing their energy costs. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance. The ES Program assists individuals and families to leave poverty permanently through case management, education, and employment.
For 60 years, the Opportunity Council has served low-income families in Bucks County by helping them to stabilize when in crisis, garner resources to achieve a livable wage, gain additional education and training, and work towards economic self-sufficiency.