This holiday season, Communications High School’s National Honor Society (NHS) organized a fundraiser focused on “adopting” the Tear family.
The Tear children, Alison, Gage, Xander and Lauren have recently lost both parents and are now under the care of their aunt and uncle, Thomas and Lisa Walls.
Housing and raising their four nieces and nephews while continuing to finance their own children in college is no easy feat for the Walls. Thomas and Lisa are now tasked with refurbishing their home and developing four new college savings accounts on top of making sure the Tear children enjoy a memorable Christmas morning. To assist in this busy time of year, Advisor Mrs. O’Keefe and the NHS have decided to help the Walls by organizing a donation opportunity for both money and gifts.
“Mrs. O’Keefe knows the family that went through a lot of hardships in October,” NHS Secretary Isabela Delgado of Eatontown said. “They lost their mother and their father, and the NHS was looking for a holiday fundraiser, so we decided to do that.”
The Adopt A Family program is not limited to CHS, however. In the New Jersey area, there are many opportunities available through the Volunteers of America Delaware Valley and the Salvation Army programs, where a family in need is “adopted” and volunteers or an organization can provide holiday necessities and gifts based on a wishlist.
There are other, smaller, charitable organizations that participate in the program, as well. Interfaith Neighbors, a nonprofit organization that focuses on homelessness throughout Monmouth County, has an Adopt A Family program where volunteers can “adopt” a family by donating money, gifts or gift cards.
“It’s a good cause for the club,” Delgado said, when asked about the possibility of CHS hosting a yearly Adopt A Family fundraiser. “Mrs. O’Keefe wants to reach out to other families in Monmouth County to see who else can benefit from it.”
Junior Andrew Vandenbrouck of West Long Branch participated in the CHS fundraiser by donating gingerbread houses and wrapping presents for a family. Other than donating and wrapping presents, volunteers were able to donate money, gifts, and clothes to the Tear family.
“On the possibility of the Adopt-a-Family fundraiser becoming an annual event, I think it should,” Vandenbrouck said. “It really helps out the family, and I know they are going through a really hard time, so it’s just one less thing they have to worry about.”
CHS’ Adopt A Family fundraiser was a success, with the NHS donating digital cameras and five presents to each of the children and an additional $130 for the family.
“The uncle and aunt were super grateful for everything we did, and I loved seeing the photos of the kids with their cameras,” NHS President Skylar Conner-Bennett of Ocean said. “It really warmed my heart.”
