Jurupa Valley Firefighters Adopt a Family Program

Community Non-Profit Announces Its Holiday Schedule for 2012

Annual Adopt a Family program will include a pancake breakfast, fundraising dinner, and seven nights of the Santa Express. They hope to support 150 families, 2,000 children, and 100 low income seniors.

FirefightersAdoptAFamily.com

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Jurupa Valley, CA: Helping needy families since 1993, the annual adopt a family program hopes to expand the number of children it supports in 2012. Their 2012 schedule includes an annual dinner and the recently added pancake breakfast along with the now famous Santa Express that visits Jurupa Valley neighborhoods for seven nights during the first two weeks of December. Families are chosen for support after completing a detailed application and only after meeting strict qualification requirements. Each family receives several weeks’ worth of food, hygiene items, school and household supplies. Santa delivers adoption packages, including toys for several nights prior to Christmas onboard a fire engine to dozens of special families. Originally founded by local firefighters, the group has evolved into a 501(C) 3 and includes many members of the community. Since 1993 over 900 families and thousands of children have been assisted.

Diane Ruiz, whose family received assistance in 2011, loves the program. “With four special needs children, we are constantly caring for them and can’t really work out of the home. Our children wouldn’t have had a Christmas if it wasn’t for this program. They really do a lot and it meant so much to the kids.”

The program is in need of financial donations, toys, and volunteers. Donations can be dropped off at the headquarters office on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00AM to 5:00PM beginning November 18th. You may also contact the office at 951-530-1693 to arrange pickups of large donations. Toys must be new and unwrapped. In lieu of food donations, gift cards for local area grocers are accepted. Visit their website at www.firefightersadoptafamily.com for more information.

2012 Jurupa Valley Firefighters Adopt a Family Schedule

Saturday, November 17, 2012 – 9:00AM to 11:00AM – Volunteer Orientation and Sign Up
Country Village Senior Apartments, 10250 Country Club Drive, Jurupa Valley, CA 91752
Sunday, December 2, 2012 – 7:00AM to 1:00PM – Pancake Character Breakfast $5 per person
Country Village Senior Apartments, 10250 Country Club Drive, Jurupa Valley, CA 91752
Join Santa and his friends from the Santa Express for breakfast and pictures
Saturday, December 8, 2012 – All Day Pizza Fundraiser
Mountain Mikes Pizza, 140 W. Ontario Ave, Suite 104, Corona, CA 92882
Up to 30% of all pizza purchases for the day will benefit the AAF program
Saturday, December 8, 2012 – 5:00PM to 10:00PM – Annual Benefit Dinner
The Beach Grill and Bar, 8022 Limonite Ave, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509
Portion of night’s sales benefit the AAF program
Thursday, December 6, 2012 – 5:00PM to 9:00PM – Santa Express
North Indian Hills Community – See our website for route information
Toys and financial donations will be accepted
Friday, December 7, 2012 – 5:00PM to 9:00PM – Santa Express
South Indian Hills Community – See our website for route information
Toys and financial donations will be accepted
Sunday, December 9, 2012 – 6:00PM to 9:00PM – Santa Express
Pedley Community – See our website for route information
Toys and financial donations will be accepted
Thursday, December 13, 2012 – 6:00PM to 9:00PM – Santa Express
Sunnyslope Community – See our website for route information
Toys and financial donations will be accepted
Friday, December 14, 2012 – 6:00PM to 9:00PM – Santa Express
Mira Loma/Glen Avon Community – See our website for route information
Toys and financial donations will be accepted
Saturday, December 15, 2012 – 6:00PM to 9:00PM – Santa Express
Sky Country Community – See our website for route information
Toys and financial donations will be accepted
December 19 – 24 – times to be announced – Adoption deliveries
Santa onboard a fire engine will deliver to dozens of needy Jurupa Valley Families
Schedule and Santa Express routes are subject to change – Please visit the website regularly for updates.

Who We Are
Community Non-profit founded by Jurupa Valley firefighters providing assistance to families during the holiday season for 19 years.

Our Mission
Assist Jurupa Valley area needy families during the holiday season. Bring joy to area children and celebrate the holidays with the community that supports us throughout the year.

Our History
The Jurupa Valley Firefighters Adopt-a-Family Program was founded in 1993 by a small group of firefighters. It started with a single family that didn’t have a piece of furniture, a stitch of clothing, or a nibble of food. Within a couple of days, those few firefighters were able to furnish their apartment, provide clothing for all three of their children, and fill their newly acquired refrigerator with food. Today the program is administered by a group of Volunteer Reserves and Community members joined by dozens of volunteers. Our goal in 2012 is to help 150 families with full adoption, provide toys for over 2000 children, and gift baskets for 100 low income seniors.

To date we have helped over 900 families and thousands of children during the holiday season. Each family that is approved for a full adoption receives approximately 2 weeks of food, a holiday meal, hygiene items, school supplies, some special needs, and of course toys for the children. A select few (40 -50) are selected to receive delivery by Santa and friends escorted by fire engines.

We also try to visit all of the area hospitals, assist homeless and battered women’s shelters. Last year we helped 135 families with full adoption and aided with toys for over 2,000 children.

Additionally, each year we usually come across a situation that needs a little extra attention. One year we repaired a vehicle for a family who had lost their father in a fatal car crash with an uninsured motorist. Another year we provided tuition assistance to an amazing young man who lost his mother to cancer just 10 days before Christmas. We’ve provided furniture to those who have none, made home repairs, and even put in a wheelchair ramp for a family with a wheelchair restricted child who previously had to be lifted up three feet worth of steps to get into their home. Of course we cannot provide that level of support for everyone; but when we have the financial ability and we find those worthy families, we try our best.

While we administer the program, the reality is that it is put on by the community. Each year we receive new toys, clothing, and most importantly financial donations from Jurupa Valley citizens. Every once in a while we even receive a donation from out of state through our paypal link or in the mail. Because of this community generosity we are able to help so many.

2012 will be a challenging year. The economy continues to decline, unemployment is sky rocketing, and some of our traditional large donors just can’t help in the same way they did before. We will have more families than ever before asking for help requiring us to raise thousands of dollars in a short amount of time. We need your help.

On a final note, we want people to feel confident that their donation is not wasted or spent recklessly. Each family is required to complete an application and meet strict eligibility guidelines. We confirm identification and conduct in home interviews. Extensive work goes into making sure the families we approve truly deserve it. Also, because everyone involved in the program volunteers their time we spend very little on administration fees. Your donation goes towards filling up grocery bags and isn’t wasted.