Adopt-A-Child for Christmas

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services is working with the community to provide Christmas presents for children.

These children are those who are in the Children Services Open Case Load and many of whom are in the kin supported placements. Foster Care Coordinator Donna Cole explained the Adopt-A-Child for Christmas program started 60 years ago in 1957.

“We try very hard to get a list from each of the children,” Cole said. “Some of the special things that they might want, we ask them for clothing sizes, shoe sizes, that kind of thing. Then people in the community take those lists and shop for these kids and they wrap everything. Today is the day that they’re bringing all of the gifts in.”

Photo By: Karysa Kent

Case workers collect some of the wrapped toys and deliver them to the homes of the children, while some of the Caregivers will pick up the toys to bring home to the children in their care.

“We have close to 350 children on our list,” Cole said. “Right now we have over 300 of them taken care of, but we still have children that we need. We set a target goal of $65.00 per each child.”

Unfortunately Cole admitted that between now and Christmas they will most likely be getting more children into the Foster Care System, so there is no deadline on when a person may give. To donate toys or money to the Adopt-A-Child for Christmas program call the Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services at (740) 455-6710 or visit their website.