Jenkins Women's Shelter holding annual Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays program for domestic violence survivors

Nov. 12--Every year June N. Jenkins Women's Shelter celebrates the holidays with their "Adopt-a-Family" program, this year the Shelter is beginning the program early due to the events of 2020.

Every year Jenkins Women's Shelter anonymously adopts the men, women and children survivors of domestic violence that they have served throughout the year and helps them create a Christmas wish list.

Assistance from the community during the event allows Jenkins to provide their survivors and their children with a wonderful Christmas by providing survivors with holiday meals, Christmas presents and wish list items.

Jenkins doesn't only provide gifts for the children, but for the parents as well.

"It is important to us that our victims know that they are worth celebrating too! Most parents would agree that the joy in seeing their children have a wonderful Christmas is present enough, but the men and women we serve deserve to be spoiled a little too." said Megan Marshall Administrative Assistant

The stress and financial strain of the holidays can be very draining for everyone, especially for domestic violence survivors.

"Most of our survivors have had one of their hardest years and it is our privilege to help them end it on a happy and carefree note and to take away that financial burden by providing Christmas for their families. We couldn't possibly do it without the help of our community," said Megan Marshall

Administrative Assistant.

The event has been going on for years, with local families and organizations adopting families from Jenkins' for years.

Some of the shelter's past survivors return every Christmas to adopt a family and pay it forward.

They remember years ago when they were recipients of our program and look forward to blessing another family.

If you are interested in adopting a family or individual child or even a parent contact June Jenkins Women's Shelter at 337-462-1452.

"We do our best to match the volunteer to the perfect wish list. Volunteers can then come and pick up a wish list and then receive their drop off date." said Matthews.

Presents are asked to be turned in unwrapped so that gifts can be logged and then wrapped.

"We have volunteers every year who help us wrap the gifts and honestly it is a joy! We have employee's children and some great community volunteers who look forward to helping us wrap gifts each year! We then make sure that the gifts are delivered to the families in time for Christmas day." said Matthews

"I love that through our Adopt-a-Family Program we can keep the magic of Christmas alive for the men, women and children we serve." stated Executive Director, Courtney Montgomery

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