Hey, Kansas City! Become a Holiday Hero
Distribution Day: Saturday, December 12th
Give Joy this holiday season! Kids in foster care hurt during the holidays, but gifts help give joy. Last year, FosterAdopt Connect provided gifts to over 1,600 children at Christmas time. With the generosity of donors like you fulfilling a child’s wish list, foster kids can have happier childhoods.
🎁 If you’re ready to drop off gifts, use this link to choose your drop-off date so we can staff the distribution center accordingly. 👉 https://www.cognitoforms.com/FosterAdoptConnect/GiveJoyGiftDropOff
IMPORTANT DATES
DONOR SIGN-UP:
September 1 – December 6
FAMILY SIGN-UP:
October 1 – 31
*Give Joy Family Sign Ups closed on October 31. We will do our best to match you with a donor to fulfill your child’s wish list, but may not be able to do so based on donor availability. Please understand that by filling out this form you are not guaranteed to be matched or receive gifts. You will receive a confirmation email should you be matched.
GIFT PICK UP FOR FAMILIES:
December 12
You can make a difference in the life of a child in our community this holiday season through one of the options listed below
Host a Gift Drive or a Gift Card Drive!
Host a drive to collect toys and teen items for children who may be coming into care at the last minute and we don’t have the opportunity to match with a family. Lots of our teens enjoy having the opportunity to go shopping and pick out what they love, which makes gift card drives a great option as well.
Shop from our Amazon Wish List!
We are constantly in need of supplemental gifts and also strive to serve youth who may just be entering care. You can “click and ship” to take all the work out of having to shop in store and drop off gifts!
Match with a child!
Let us know how many children you’d like to be matched up with, and we’ll send you their wish list. You get to pick out the gifts and bring them to us to distribute for you.
VOLUNTEER TO GIVE JOY!
Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is Give Joy?
Give Joy is FosterAdopt Connect’s holiday program that helps provide gifts to children and youth and additional support to families during the holiday season. Community donors and sponsors help make the holidays brighter for children and families we serve.
Who does Give Joy serve?
Give Joy serves youth ages 0–18, or youth who are still in high school, who live in areas where FosterAdopt Connect operates the program. The program supports foster, adoptive, and kinship families, as well as other eligible families who meet the program criteria.
Will my donation be given directly to a specific child?
If you participate in the Matching Program, your gifts will be associated with the child or children assigned to you. If you donate general inventory, gift cards, items from the Amazon Wish List, or financially, your donation may be used to meet needs throughout the Give Joy program.
How does FosterAdopt Connect protect children's privacy?
Give Joy’s matching process is anonymous. Donors receive information necessary to shop for gifts while protecting children’s identifying information. Staff use unique identification numbers to organize and distribute gifts.
Who should I contact if I have a Give Joy question?
For questions about applications, donor matching, wish lists, donations, or changes to your participation, contact, givejoy@fosteradopt.org. The Give Joy team will help answer questions and coordinate updates throughout the season.
Family
Who is eligible to participate in Give Joy?
To participate in the Give Joy Matching Program:
- The caregiver/parent must submit an application by the program deadline.
- The youth must live in the household.
- The youth must be 0–18 years old or still in high school.
- The family must live in an area where Give Joy is being offered.
- FosterAdopt Connect must have served the family in some capacity.
- All children in an eligible household may be considered, regardless of their individual placement status.
Does household income determine eligibility?
No, household income may be collected for program statistics, but it is not used to determine eligibility for Give Joy.
How do I sign my family up?
Families complete the Give Joy application through the FosterAdopt Connect website during the annual registration period. The application collects caregiver information, household information, information about eligible children, and each child’s wish-list preferences.
What information do I need when I apply?
You should be prepared to provide contact information, household information, FosterAdopt Connect or licensing information when applicable, and information about each child participating in the program. You will also be asked for clothing and shoe sizes, interests, and wish-list items.
How will I know whether my application was received?
You should receive an automatic confirmation email after submitting your application. Please check your spam or junk folder if you do not see it.
How will I know if my family was approved?
Once FosterAdopt Connect reviews your application and verifies eligibility, you will receive an email letting you know whether your application was approved or denied. Eligible families will receive additional information about the holiday distribution process.
What if my family is not eligible for Give Joy?
If an application is not eligible, FosterAdopt Connect will provide information about other holiday assistance resources when available.
What happens after my family is approved?
Eligible children are entered into the Give Joy Matching Program. FosterAdopt Connect works to anonymously match children with community donors who shop from their wish lists.
Will my child definitely be matched with a donor?
FosterAdopt Connect works to match eligible children with donors, but a donor match cannot always be guaranteed. Children who are enrolled after the matching deadline may receive gifts from Give Joy’s inventory instead.
What if my child is enrolled after the matching deadline?
Late-enrolled children may still be eligible to receive Give Joy gifts. Because there may not be enough time to match them with an individual donor, FosterAdopt Connect may shop from its Give Joy inventory to provide gifts based on the child’s interests.
When will I receive information about picking up gifts?
Families will be contacted as gifts become ready. FosterAdopt Connect will provide information about available pickup dates, times, and the distribution location.
Can I make changes to my application after submitting it?
Yes, if you need to update information, please contact givejoy@fosteradopt.org as soon as possible so staff can update your information.
Sponsors
How can I participate in Give Joy?
There are several ways to support Give Joy:
- Sponsor/match with one or more children.
- Donate new, popular toys.
- Donate gift cards.
- Purchase items from the Give Joy Amazon Wish List.
- Host a gift or gift card drive.
- Make a monetary donation.
How does sponsoring a child work?
When you choose to be matched with a child, you indicate how many children you would like to sponsor. FosterAdopt Connect will anonymously match you with eligible youth and send you their wish list. You then purchase the gifts and deliver them according to the program’s donation instructions.
Will I receive the child's full name or personal information?
No, Give Joy matches children and donors anonymously. Donor wish lists use the child’s first name and/or unique identification number rather than the child’s last name or identifying information.
How many gifts should I purchase for each sponsored child?
The standard expectation is a minimum of three new gifts per child totaling at least $100. Donors are welcome to spend more, but it is not required. The program recognizes that larger items may sometimes mean a child receives fewer than three gifts.
What types of gifts can I donate?
Gifts should be:
- New and unused.
- In their original packaging or with original tags.
- Age appropriate.
- Safe and appropriate for children and youth.
Weapons, suggestive materials, and other inappropriate or unsafe items should not be donated.
Should I wrap the gifts?
No, please do not wrap Give Joy gifts. FosterAdopt Connect staff and caregivers need to be able to review the gifts, and wrapping paper is provided to families.
How should I package the gifts?
Keep each child’s gifts together in a box, bag, or container and clearly label the outside with the child’s unique Give Joy ID number. Large gifts that cannot fit inside a container should also be clearly labeled with the child’s ID number.
What if I cannot find something on the child's wish list?
Wish lists are intended to provide guidance about the child’s interests and preferences. You do not have to purchase the exact item listed. When possible, choose an age-appropriate alternative that fits the child’s interests.
Can I sponsor more children after I have already signed up?
Yes, Do not submit another application. Email givejoy@fosteradopt.org with your name, the name used when you registered, and the number of additional children you would like to sponsor.
What if I need to cancel or can no longer sponsor my child?
We understand that circumstances can change. Please contact givejoy@fosteradopt.org as soon as possible so FosterAdopt Connect has time to arrange another source of gifts for the child.
When do I need to drop off my gifts?
All gifts must be received by the annual Give Joy donation deadline so staff have enough time to organize, supplement, and distribute gifts. The specific deadline, location, and drop-off times will be announced for each Give Joy season.
Can FosterAdopt Connect pick up my donation?
Large donors with significant quantities of gifts may be eligible for assistance with pickup. Please contact the Give Joy team as early as possible so transportation can be coordinated.
Can my company, church, school, or community group participate?
Absolutely, organizations can participate by sponsoring children, hosting a gift or gift-card drive, collecting new toys, purchasing from the Amazon Wish List, or making a financial contribution.
How do I host a Give Joy gift or gift-card drive?
Select the gift/gift-card drive option when completing the Give Joy donor registration. A FosterAdopt Connect team member will follow up with additional information and help coordinate supplies, collection, and donation delivery.
Can I donate money instead of shopping?
Yes, monetary donations are one of the ways supporters can participate in Give Joy. Financial contributions allow FosterAdopt Connect to purchase gifts for children whose needs remain after donor matching and to supplement gifts when necessary.
Can I purchase items from the Amazon Wish List?
Yes, the Give Joy Amazon Wish List provides an additional way to purchase popular and needed items that can be used to supplement gifts, including for children who are not matched with individual donors.
Was your question not answered above? Please contact our team at givejoy@fosteradopt.org and someone will reach out!