For the 11th year in a row, the South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center is organizing an opportunity for community members and businesses to come together and participate in the Adopt-a-Family program.

Last holiday season, the community helped hundreds of individuals working with the Women’s Center. The gratitude expressed by the families adopted was tremendous. Many mothers cried when they saw the gifts donors brought for their children.

These are challenging times, with more families than ever needing help.

Here are ways for individuals or companies can help local families who have been working with the South Lake Tahoe Women’s Center:

• Adopt a family and receive a wish list completed by the family. There are families of all sizes to accommodate any budget.

• Donate non-perishable groceries or gift cards for pre-cooked holiday meals at local grocery stores (such as Safeway) so families can enjoy special holiday meals and make happy memories together.

• Make a special end-of-the-year tax deductible donation toward the Women’s Center’s Adopt-A-Family program or to support our other comprehensive and trusted programs and services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.

• Call to learn about the many different ways we could put your energy to good work as a volunteer – one hour per week or even one per month.

The deadline to turn gifts in is Dec. 16 by 4pm at the Women’s Center office at 2941 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

To help, call Emily at the Women’s Center at (530) 544.2118, ext. 7633 or by email at epeart@sltwc.org.