ALGSA Holiday Giving Tree Gift Adoption Program 2024
#algsagivingtree
Holiday Giving Tree Family Gift Adoption
During the months of November and December, the ALGSA Holiday Giving Tree Family Gift Adoption program provides gifts to Alagille Syndrome families around the world during the holiday season – the giving season. Holiday gifts such as toys, clothing and special needs items can cause extra strain on family budgets this time of year. Through our program, gift givers may select a family in need to “adopt” during the holiday season.
How the program works:
- Once families are selected to be a part of the Holiday Giving Tree program, we work with the family to determine appropriate gifts for their family based on ages, interests and needs of the family members.
- Families listed below are now eligible for Gift Adoption. ALL PARTICIPATING FAMILIES WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
- To give, anyone can select a family that best matches how they want to give (i.e., a family may list a tricycle for a four year old, a toy construction set for an eight year old and a grocery store gift card for the family).
- The giver completes the form to adopt the family and donates the appropriate amount to the ALGSA. The giver may include messages to the family that will be presented along with their gifts.
- Once the giver has selected a family and donated, that family is removed from and the ALGSA purchases and ships the gifts to the family.
- Your gift amount is a tax deductible donation to the ALGSA.
If you are unable to adopt a family this year, you can still be a part of the giving season and the Holiday Giving Tree program. Make a donation to the Holiday Giving Tree program, and we will apply that amount where needed. All funds received for this program will go toward purchasing items for the participating families. Funds must be made directly to the Holiday Giving Tree program. Facebook or other fundraisers outside the program will not apply.
Families in need of Gift Adoption:
If you would like to be considered for the ALGSA Holiday Giving Tree Family Gift Adoption program, please complete the form listed below including applicable family members, ages, and requested gifts. Please apply for a maximum total gift amount of $300 understanding some gift givers may only be able to give a lesser amount. Forms must be received no later than November 15th to be considered. One application per family please.This program cannot be utilized by a family for more than 3 years over the lifetime of the program in order to provide support for new families.
Your identifying information will not be given to the gift giver. Publicized information will only include ages, sizes and gift selections. No names will be publicized. If a gift request includes clothing or shoes, please list applicable sizes.
Holiday Giving Tree Family Gift Adoption
The Families:
Gift Givers may donate any amount to be used for a family listed below. Please indicate which family you would like to adopt on your donation form. A gift of $300 adopts a family. That entire amount is dedicated to purchasing gifts, some wrapping paper and supplies, and associated fees for shipping, Please consider adding an additional amount to your gift ($10, $20, or more) to help the ALGSA purchase additional wrapping paper and shipping costs for families in need. Thank you for your support of this program!
Application period open currently. Families ready for adoption will be listed once their application is processed and through November 20, 2024!
Family B: This family of three lives in Canada. Their 12 year old daughter would love gift cards from Amazon and Toys R Us. My daughter is g-tube fed and so we require to make blended food for her to keep her nutrition in a good condition. She has a special diet, With the cost of food as much as we budget it’s hard sometimes. We have frequent visits to the hospital and doctor having to frequently travel and take her out of school because of illness. This gift would help so much for our family.
Family C: From Canada, this family of five has mom, dad, three daughters age 11, 9, and 6, and a 9 month old son. The girls would love dolls, stuffed animals, and coloring supplies. For the baby, onesies and a blanket would be appreciated. Since our son was born in January, he has been hospitalized 4 times, two of those being longer than 3 weeks. This has meant our family has been separated a lot this year, which has been very hard. His health has been off to a very rocky start, and his big sisters, though adapting well, have had a hard time adjusting to all the changes and unknown circumstances that have come with his difficulties. The cost of medicine, and strain of carrying a family business through it all has been tough, but we’re making ends meet and I just thought this would be a way for my girls to feel extra special this time of year! Thanks for considering our family!
Family D: Family D has been adopted!
Family E: This California, USA, family of five has Mon, Dad, Grandma, and two daughters, 3 and 7. This family would love cold weather clothes and shoes for everyone. It would mean the world to me if my family would get included because we are going through a very rough patch trying to navigate around our ALGS warrior medical treatments. As we await her 4th open heart surgery hours away from home the financial burden we face takes a toll on all of us. As the Holidays should be a moment of joy we don’t feel that way because it feels like we have more things to worry about trying to provide and trying to make it as magical as possible for our two daughters.
Family F: This Mom and her 3 year old little girl live in Minnesota, USA. This little warrior would love a marble maze connector kit, craft kids, and double stroller for her baby dolls. We have limited family support. Due to my daughter’s medical needs, last year Christmas was just me and her. She still is frequently sick and has to do inside activities with me and her instead of doing fun activities in the public like healthy kids. She’s a great little girl who loves babies, cats, and crafts. Hospital stays get long and she gets agitated after being kept inside. Anything to help the holidays feel special or to help her get through cold/flu season would be deeply appreciated by our family.
Family G: A family of four from Massachusetts, they have Mom, Dad, and two boys, 6 and 9. These boys love Thomas the Train, Mr. Beast, and Wild Republic shark rescue. Mom and Dad both would love new shoes. Money is tight this year. We are both teachers and don’t make much, but we’ve also had to use unpaid time to stay home with our Alagille son often. In addition to Alagille, he also has airway issues and gets sick a lot. So our paychecks have been smaller than usual this fall. Thank you so much!
Family H: This Mom and daughter, age 5, are from Mexico. This warrior girl loves Barbie and other dolls and would love a bicycle. I look after my daughter alone. Last year we found out about her illness and it has been endless days. Her father passed away when she was 1 year old and my daughter has already been through a lot. The programme would help us have a good end to the year and forget a little about the hospitals and everything we have been through this last year. Thank you.
Family I: From California, USA, this family has Mom, two daughters age 11 and 6, and a son age 9. The girls love LOL toys, Hello Kitty, Barbie, and Mini Brands. The son would love a new scooter. I (mom) was going to school to get a career that would better benefit my children’s schedule. I always felt like I was an absent parent, just as I was done with my schooling which I had to pay a large amount of money out of pocket to attend I had applied for a job that I believed was guaranteed that didn’t work out they sent me a text saying that unfortunately they weren’t gonna hire me that hurt me financially I was out of work and just went through my savings. I’m barely starting to be able to pay off some debts I got myself into because of this situation.
Family J: This family lives in Slovenia and has Mom, Dad, Grandma, and a 16 month old daughter. This little warrior needs all things little girl! Mom and Dad need supplies for her specialized nutrition. Last year, I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. Shortly after her birth, she was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and when her jaundice persisted, further genetic testing confirmed a diagnosis of Alagille syndrome. Subsequent tests also revealed that I, as well as my father and grandfather, carry the genetic mutation.The past year has been an emotional roller coaster, full of challenges and uncertainties. However, the unwavering support from online communities, particularly through the Facebook group facilitated by Robertha Smith, has been invaluable in helping us navigate this journey. We are deeply grateful for the connections with family. Last Christmas, we had a significant breakthrough when we finally received access to Livmarli. This treatment has been transformative for our daughter; her jaundice has resolved, and her bilirubin levels have significantly improved, staying only slightly elevated. While we continue to wait for her TOF repair, this improvement has been a tremendous relief. We are still facing difficulties, particularly with her low weight gain and fluctuating liver enzyme levels. The costs of medications, specialized nutrition, and necessary supplements continue to be a financial burden, but we remain deeply thankful to have our brave little girl in our lives. Her strength inspires us to remain resilient and hopeful for the future.
Family K: Family K from Alabama, USA, has Mom, Dad, and two brothers age 4 and 5. Both boys would love to have Nerf Guns and a new bicycle for each. Our family would be incredibly grateful to be included in the ALGSA Holiday Gift Adoption program. We are facing several financial challenges: our car has ongoing mechanical issues that need urgent repairs, and we also struggle with high insurance costs. As a student with two young children, we have additional expenses for childcare and afterschool care, as well as monthly medical bills that add to our financial burden. Support from this program would bring tremendous relief during this holiday season, helping us manage these unexpected costs and provide a joyful experience for our kids.
Family L: This Mom, Dad, and 5 year old son live in Italy. Each family member would love a new jacket. The son would also love some toy cars to play with. We would be happy to be part of this program as a family with only a working parent and a lot of expenses from the basic things to our son’s therapy, we would like to make him happy receiving some presents for the holidays.
Family M: This family from South Carolina, USA, has a 5 year old Warrior son and two moms. This little Warrior loves Legos, crafts, and fun, educational toys. We are still trying to recover financially from our son’s open heart surgery. My partner has been out of work waiting and working on the process to join the military which is a much slower process than anticipated. We are a single income family of 3 that barely gets by month to month, we have no extra to get our son anything for Christmas. We do not need anything if he can just be put on the list please. Thank you for all of you do. We are hoping next year to be better off financially to be able to adopt a family.