Members of the Arizona Multihousing Association and its charitable arm, the Arizona Multihousing Charitable Foundation (AMCF), collected, sorted and delivered thousands of holiday gifts that will benefit families at UMOM New Day Centers who are experiencing homelessness.
The “Hope for the Holidays: Adopt A Family” drive held at AMA’s annual trade show on Sept. 12 will help UMOM get an early start on preparing for the holidays to make sure every parent and child in its shelters and affordable housing communities experiences joy and cheer during that special time of year.
“AMA members understand deeply the importance of having a home for the holidays, and we wanted to make sure these families will be able to fill their homes at UMOM with joy and excitement as they unwrap these gifts,” AMA President and CEO Courtney Gilstrap LeVinus said. “We are always looking for opportunities to give back to our communities and couldn’t pass up the chance to help put smiles on these children’s faces.”
AMA members purchased toys, games, clothing and other requested items for kids between birth and 18 years old and contributed home goods and gift cards for parents. In total, the “Hope for the Holidays” drive collected 250 stockings stuffed with roughly 1,500 gifts and more than 2,000 household items.
Twenty-five companies donated to the drive, and U-Haul provided a 15-foot truck to transport the items.
About 250 trade show attendees and 16 volunteers with the AMCF Big Hearts effort sorted the large piles of gifts into age ranges and stuffed the stockings.
