As the holiday shopping season begins, Navajo County and Apache County residents can help provide a happy holiday to families and children served by the Navajo County Family Advocacy Center by donating through the Center’s Adopt a Family Holiday Program.

Each year, the FAC serves more than 150 physically and sexually abused children, as well as those that are neglected, drug-endangered or otherwise at-risk in Navajo and Apache counties. Many of the parents and caregivers of children served by the FAC struggle to buy gifts for their children while juggling groceries, heating bills and other day-today living expenses.

The FAC Adopt a Family Holiday Program connects families with caring donors in the community to help bring the joy of the holidays into their homes.

“So often, people ask how they can help the children who we serve at the Family Advocacy Center. The Adopt a Family Program provides a special opportunity to delight these children by fulfilling some of their wishes during the holidays, in what otherwise has been an incredibly challenging time of their lives,” said FAC Development Director Catherine Doyle.

To participate, donors can call or text Catherine Doyle at (928) 414-1198, and she will match a family or child to the donor and provide a wish list of items selected by each child. Donors can donate some or all of the wish list items; fulfilling the entire wish list is not required.

Gifts should be delivered to the FAC, located at 902 E Deuce of Clubs in Show Low, by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8. Donated items should be unwrapped.

Monetary donations are also being accepted for the Adopt a Family Holiday Program. Information about making a donation is available at ncfac.org/donate.

“The children who come into the Family Advocacy Center have often experienced deeply troubling, damaging and sometimes dangerous incidents. We get them to safety, connect them to needed resources and we advocate for them during the criminal justice process. With the generosity of community, we can temporarily step away from these weightier matters and support these children in experiencing the simple wonder and excitement of the holidays, which every child deserves,” said Navajo County Attorney Brad Carlyon who also serves as the chair of the FAC Board of Directors. “We are grateful to all who give generously to put a smile on these children’s faces.”