It will be hard for many people to put presents under the tree this Christmas with job layoffs and the economy.
An open house will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at Combined Community Services, 110 E. Prairie St., Warsaw, for its Adopt-A-Family program.
Tammy Smith, CCS self-sufficiency programs director, and Sabrina Phillips, Project Independence case manager, will hold the open house.The open house is for adopters who are not able to choose a family to adopt during normal business hours.
Adopters will be able to view the applications for children needed to be adopted while enjoying baked cookies and hot apple cider.
The applications have the names, ages, gift suggestions and clothing sizes for children.
Applications will not be available for people wanting to be on the program. The open house is only for people who want to adopt a family.
CCS currently has accepted 327 applications for the program.
CCS has seen an unprecedented need for families to be adopted this year. At this time last year, 219 Adopt-A-Family applications had been received.
"While response from the community has been great, there are still many families who have not been adopted," said Peggi Lisenbee-Wright, CCS director of client services.
The program is not able to be opened back up to more families in need until these families are adopted.
People interested in adopting a family can stop by CCS and pick up an application during regular business hours.
CCS business hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon. People also can call Lisenbee-Wright at 574-269-6019, Ext. 22 to adopt a family.
