After “adopting” a family for Chanukah one year, Shelley Kahn decided to invite her immediate and extended family to join her efforts in future years. She now coordinates shopping among six households, including Marshall and Shelley Kahn; Brian and Emily Kahn with kids Noah (17), Simon (14), and Eli (12); Erin and Angel Castillo with kids Sara (7) and Micah (4), Jeff and Ashley Kahn with baby Annie (infant); Dan Kahn and Mindy Shapiro; and Cameron Willett and Tanner Gray.

Each household takes on the shopping list of one individual within a large family, then all gifts are brought to Shelley to wrap and drop off at JFS. This coordination takes considerable effort, but as a grandparent, Shelley expressed how meaningful this program is to her and her family.

“It’s a really great message to my grandkids,” she said. “No ask is that big. In truth, a lot of this isn’t Chanukah related, this is just basics, needs, needs being met. It’s such a meaningful lesson – a hands-on, touch-feel-see lesson, that indirectly we can teach our grandchildren. Maybe they’ll remember it, maybe they’ll take it into their adulthood. Giving back is important.”

Her son Brian also shared the importance of including his children in this service project each year.

“We like the program because it is a great opportunity to involve our children in an act of tzedakah,” he said. “We all look to find ways to teach our children how to be charitable and how important we hope it will become in their future, but it is so much more effective to show them rather than just tell them. This program is a fantastic chance to show them how their actions can help others, how good it can feel to be charitable, why it should always be something that is important to them.”

Giving during the holidays creates joy, boosts happiness, and fosters community spirit, as well as provides vital support for charities.

“The fact that it’s a Chanukah program, I think it ties the whole holiday together for us,” Shelley said.

There are many ways to participate and support Adopt-a-Family. Learn more at www.jewishindianapolis.org/ adoptafamily.