Johns Hopkins partners with local nonprofit and service agencies to connect our employees with local families and senior citizens in need.

Through the program, Hopkins employees provide gifts, clothing, and grocery gift cards to help brighten the holiday season for their “adopted” family or senior.
 

Our partners are:

• The Family Recovery Program
• Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland
• Franklin Center
• FLT Preparatory Academy
• Coldstream Recreation Center
• Project PLASE
• Harvey Johnson Towers

Registration is open in the fall of each year. Be sure to check back to sign up.

How to Help

To participate, you will need to fill out a form that will be posted on this page when registration opens.

You can also help a family by giving back through the United Way campaign.

FAQs
 

Who receives help?
We partner with local agencies that serve families and seniors who are facing a bleak holiday season due to a variety of circumstances. Previously adopted families and individuals have included teen mothers of young children, children of incarcerated parents, women and children displaced due to domestic violence, seniors, and adults with disabilities who are unable to pay bills and afford personal items.

Which Hopkins affiliates participate?
All Hopkins affiliates are invited to adopt a family or senior for the holidays. Many employees participate as a department activity, and other Hopkins donors use this as an opportunity to model for their loved ones the joys of giving to those less fortunate.

How are donors matched with families and seniors?
Donors may request to adopt a family and/or a senior. During the online registration process, donors will have the opportunity to request a specific family size, gender of adopted individual(s), etc. Although we cannot guarantee an exact match, we will make an effort to accommodate donor requests.

Will I meet the family or senior I’m matched with?
Due to the rules of confidentiality, only a limited number of families and seniors can receive their gifts directly from donors. Donors have the opportunity to deliver the gifts to the partnering agencies.

Why do Hopkins employees say they participate?
“Most of us have our material needs and wants met easily. We don’t give a second thought about what it would be like to have to struggle to find money to pay rent, buy food and clothing, and care for our families,” says donor Michael Bernard of Mechanical Engineering.  “Giving gifts to an adopted family who faces these dire struggles is the very least we can do to offer a helping hand and bring joy to our neighbors who don’t have as easy a life as most of us. It’s a very small way to express our gratitude for what most of us take for granted.”

Should the gifts be new?
Yes, any items given to the adopted families and individuals must be new.

I’m not affiliated with Johns Hopkins. How can I help?
If you are not affiliated with Johns Hopkins and would still like to receive information on how you can help families and/or seniors in your area, please contact a local social services agency.