The economic crisis has brought more financial and emotional pressure than ever to Eastside kids and families facing job losses, pay cuts, and loss of benefits. Youth Eastside Services’ (YES) “Adopt-A-Family” program provides a welcome relief to these pressures by bringing community members together.

Every year, the Youth Eastside Services’ “Adopt-A-Family” program helps spread holiday cheer by matching companies, community groups, or individual sponsors with families in need of assistance during the holiday season. Sponsors are given a wish list from their adopted family and are expected to give a minimum of one new, unwrapped gift to each family member, as well as an article of clothing to each child in the family. YES is accepting “Adopt-A-Family” sponsors through Nov. 17. Gifts and articles of clothing must be delivered to the YES office in Bellevue at 999 164th Ave. N.E. by December 15. To sponsor a family or to find out about other ways to help, please contact Anthony Blankenship at 425-586-2323 or AnthonyB@YouthEastsideServices.org.