McMahon students donate gifts to needy

In a country where smorgasbords and cornucopias, expensive wish lists and a year's worth of family gossip typically define the holiday season, a charitable organization with hopes of fulfilling families' wish lists makes a distinctive gift.

The Adopt-A-Family program, run by four McMahon Residence Hall students, aims to raise food, money and other necessities for two families in need.

"Unofficially Adopt-A-Family 2004, but we're still working on a cooler name," explained Shavonne Schaefbauer, a freshman physiology major. Shaefbauer, Kayty Harrison, Emily Kimes and Tracy Seimears constitute the on-campus leadership of the program.

The Adopt-A-Family service project is a part of the Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS). ADWAS hosts a plethora of other programs, including advocacy, counseling, a National Domestic Violence Hotline, positive parenting, outreach and education.

Established in 1986, ADWAS's original office was located in the U-District. Now, 14 other models exist throughout the United States.

ADWAS believes violence to be an unnatural and intolerable behavior. The institution assists victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, supporting families within King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties.

"The Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays program is something that we started at our agency several years ago as another attempt to meet the needs of the families we serve," said Linda Goldman, an employee of ADWAS. "Getting food on the table and providing clothing and other necessities are hard on an average day, but during the holidays the burden is even greater."

Families participating in the program are asking for what some might consider ordinary commodities. Families in need, the majority of them single mothers with children, are requesting warm clothing, blankets, family board games, pots and pans, umbrellas and socks.

The four undergraduates adopted two families independently and have spent their free time attaining donations from McMahon residents.

Schaefbauer believes making a commitment to these families brings residents together.

"Originally, we were planning on just asking students to donate money so we could buy the gifts ourselves, but then once we started walking around and talking about the program and told people about the recipients of our gifts -- like this 5-year-old boy who was hoping to get a bike for Christmas -- they were really excited about donating and making these people's dreams come true for Christmas ... It has really raised the holiday cheer around McMahon," said Schaefbauer.

Schaefbauer estimates that one family's holiday requests monetarily equate about $500.

Though the two families were adopted under the leadership of the four McMahon students, the residents of the 11th floor in the north tower of McMahon have adopted a third family through ADWAS as well. Many students have been making monetary or material donations to the project without directly adopting a family.

Funds and donations raised for the Adopt-A-Family program are transmitted to the families through ADWAS. On top of each of their personal donations, any portion of the wish lists not covered by student contributions will become the financial responsibility of Schaefbauer, Harrison, Kimes and Seimears. The risk factor, however, does not present a problem for these driven and committed McMahon residents.

"It's so rewarding because you see this family that otherwise wouldn't have had Christmas, wouldn't have had presents. I think it's really good for people to see that. I think it reminds you that not everyone is fortunate enough to have a Christmas. It reminds you of how lucky you are," said Schaefbauer.

The four organizers have already made goals for the future of the program, aside from concocting a "cooler" name.

"One of our main goals is to donate two or three times as much next year," said Schaefbauer.

"As successful as this is, it will prove to people that 1, it's possible to undertake something this big and have it be a success, and 2, it will inspire people to make this a bigger and greater effort next year," added Harrison, an ASUW representative on the Executive Board of Mac City, McMahon's hall council.

"It's one of my personal goals in life to make people around me and people in my community feel like they are appreciated. When you reach out, it does make people feel valued."