Needy Families Short On Christmas Sponsors

The Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center has more people needing help this Christmas than sponsors to fill the need.

More than 300 families have signed up for the center’s Adopt A Family program this season.

Most of them are being paired with donors who buy them presents and food for Christmas. The donors include churches, businesses and private individuals and families.

So far, the center has teamed up 238 families with sponsors.

There are another 68 families needing help, but the center doesn’t have anyone to sponsor them.

“We do need more donors,” said Linda Brown-Batts, a family resource specialist at the center.

The program is now in its sixth year. The number of families signed up for help has exceeded 300 for the first time.

The low-income families come from throughout the Spokane area. The heads of the families fill out applications, and the center’s staff screens them to make sure they are truly needy.

Nearly all of the applicants are eligible for the help, said Brown-Batts. Many of them are on public assistance, or they work in minimum-wage jobs.

Donors must agree to buy gifts for the children and for the adults. The donors also provide food.

Anyone who wants to sponsor a family may sign up by calling the King Center at 455-8722. The center is located at Eighth and Sherman.

, DataTimes