It seems with every Christmas commercial, there’s a suburban McMansion twinkling with lights, a 20-foot tree mounded underneath with presents and a happy, supportive family gathered around an expansive table filled with food.

Cut to reality and imagine being a single mom holding your child on your lap in the living room of the Knox County Homeless Coalition/Hospitality House. You’re grateful for the shelter in your temporary home, but you don’t have enough money to buy your child socks for Christmas, let alone the excesses of what they see on TV.

But Hospitality House families do have each other — and a great community to help them through an emotionally and financially challenging season.

For the last two years, generous benefactors have helped the Hospitality House’s families with holiday gifts, but this year, the Hospitality House is taking a different approach, gathering wish lists from their families and asking the community to 'adopt a family' for the holidays. Those who wish to help will have the opportunity to choose a family for whom they would like to shop.

“Many of our families have a hard time with the flood of warm, happy Christmas images this time of year,” said Jessie Harriman, shelter manager. “ As a result, they feel the pang of not having the family support. It’s not like they can reach out to their immediate families and say, ‘Could you loan me a little money so I can buy some Christmas gifts for my child?’ When you’re homeless, you’re constantly worrying about what to eat and where to live. The pressure of the holidays puts even more stress on our families.”

The way ‘Adopt A Family’ works is any individual or group can contact the Hospitality House and express their interest in adopting a family of whatever size that’s comfortable. You can designate a certain dollar amount you want to spend or choose the number of family members you’re able to adopt. Then, Ev Donnelly, their volunteer coordinator, will pair up the potential donors with a particular family. You would then shop, wrap the gifts and deliver them to the family. Or, if you prefer, the staff at the Hospitality House can deliver the gifts.

Donnelly is currently organizing the wish lists for 78 families in the Midcoast.  Some of the items on the wish lists speak to one’s needs rather than wants such as clothes, diapers, books. Some want services. 

“We have one client who just wants driving lessons,” said Dawna Hilton, assistant to the executive director. “So, your gifts can be service-related and maybe you even want to teach the client to drive yourself. We’re keeping that flexible.”

“You can shop for them, wrap the gifts and in some cases, deliver directly to the family,” said Donnelly. “We’re hoping to generate a closer connection to the act of giving between a family and our community, and may even build relationships with our families.”

A press release for ‘Adopt A Family” went out last week. Many of the area’s churches have already reached out, as well as individuals, who’ve expressed interest in helping.

“When you put that change in the Salvation Army bucket, you knowing you’re helping someone in need but, you don’t know who it is going to go to,” said Hilton. “By adopting one of our families, you will know exactly who your gifts are going to and maybe even make a personal connection.”

The matches of families will be completed by Dec. 16. To adopt a family, contact Donnelly at 207-593-8151 or email edonnelly@homehelphope.org

Stay tuned as Penobscot Bay Pilot will do a follow up story on a particular family in a forthcoming story.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com