Christmas is a time to celebrate with colorful lights, festive music, and gift-giving. It is also a time to reach out and help someone in need. Every year Sinclair hosts the annual Adopt a Family Drive. Throughout November and early December, the Tartan Marketplace dining room will have a Giving Tree decorated with little gift tags. Choose a gift tag off the Christmas tree, purchase the item, and put the gift under the tree. No wrapping is necessary.
Tim Sweet, general manager of the Tartan Marketplace organizes the drive each year. Last year was a smaller-scale drive, and people were still calling and wanting to participate in giving.
“The Sinclair community never disappoints. Their generosity is overwhelming,” said Sweet in a phone conversation.
With increased participation from faculty staff and students, the drive has spread to all the learning centers. Each center has a Giving Tree decorated with little tags.
Each tag has a gift choice from a child in need. With all the information on the gifts the children asked to receive. They have a specific item listed to make shopping easy. This way, these children receive the presents they need and want. This year they are helping 20 to 25 families. Most have an affiliation with Sinclair, but not all do. Everyone is welcome to participate in the drive.
“People just want to help other people sometimes they don’t know how. This gives an easy way to help someone in need,” said Sweet. “People surprise you. They want to give. Sinclair is a family.”
Sweet recalls a story from a few years back where a woman was standing at the tree choosing tags. The woman removed one tag and another tag until she had picked a handful of ten tags. He thought she was amazing and wanted to tell her so. Sweet walked over to the woman to thank her. The woman got quiet and then explained how 10-years ago she was on the streets and how this program helped her. She is now an R.N. and wanted to give back.
“It makes a difference to a lot of children; takes the stress off a lot of parents that need a little help,” said Sweet. “Some are looking for warm winter clothes, some children ask for a gift for their parents.”
There are two programs this year:
- Family numbers equal an individual family.
- Match present with kids run by, For Love of Children, FLOC, in Dayton. The program is in affiliation with Dayton Children’s Services.
“Everyone working together, it is pretty amazing, and I am glad to be a part of it,” said Sweet. Sinclair is also glad to have him as part of the Sinclair family.
Diane Sikora
Reporter