Adopt A Senior
Adopt a senior and let them know they're not alone this year.
Help make this holiday season bright for all seniors.
Phoenix Family's Adopt A Senior program provides vulnerable older adults living in our community with a Christmas they cannot afford for themselves. We match our seniors with generous donors who "adopt" them for the holiday. Each sponsor receives a profile introducing them to a senior that has been nominated to receive help along with their wish and needs list. And every gift brought in goes directly to the person that you have adopted.
General Information
Every year, sponsors from across the United States email us to adopt a senior in their state. While we appreciate their generosity, please know that currently we only offer the Adopt A Senior program in the Kansas City metro area and Des Moines, IA.
How to become a sponsor
- To adopt a senior for the holidays with Phoenix Family, please complete our online sponsor form.
- We will begin distributing profiles and wishlists November 9, 2023.
- After receiving your sponsor form, we will contact you with a personalized profile of two or more seniors that have been nominated for "adoption". The application will not only introduce you to them, but will also give their wish and needs list.
- Once you get your profiles consideration, read through them and choose which one or ones resonate the most with you and let us know as soon as possible.
- After you email us with your choice, go shopping! You can buy anything or everything on the list — it’s up to you
- Schedule a time to deliver your gifts to our home offices. All gifts should be delivered to Phoenix Family’s Home Office (3908 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64111) by December 17, 2023.
If you are unable to adopt a senior, but would like to contribute a family's or senior's adoption, you can contribute here. All funds raised will go towards helping families and seniors in need this holiday season.
Gift Drop Off
Gifts for families may be dropped off starting November 27, 2023 through December 17.
- To ensure proper staffing, we ask that all gifts be delivered to our Home Office (3908 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64111) and that you schedule your drop-off by reserving a timeslot or by calling Ellen at 816.612.8847. Unscheduled deliveries/drop-offs cannot be accepted. For more information about drop-offs, please see FAQ below.
- All items should be dropped off by December 17, 2023 to our home office at 3908 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64111.
Frequently Asked Questions
Complete our online sponsor form. We will be in touch with you within two business days to start the adoption process. Or email us at holidays@phoenixfamily.org. Let us know what size family you prefer and give us your contact info, and we will try to pair you with a family that is a good fit.
Yes, we often have groups from a department at work, or church groups, scout troops, or extended family groups that choose to work together to adopt one or more seniors.
Yes. Each sponsor will receive profiles of possible seniors, which tell you a little bit about them and their wish list. We want you to choose a senior who “speaks” to you – we find that the more connected you are to the person you’re helping, the better the experience will be for you.
Great! Most of our seniors live in a single-person household. Just indicate how many people you’d like to adopt on the sponsor form and we will match you with enough seniors to reach your total request.
We send a questionnaire to the senior so that they can provide correct clothing sizes, gift suggestions, and food preferences. When you receive your profiles, you will receive that list. We do not promise to supply everything on their list, so you are free to choose how much or how little you want to get for them.
We have the adoptees indicate what gift cards would be useful for those sponsors who would like to give a gift card. It is entirely up to you as to whether you give a gift card.
In order to maintain privacy for donors and recipients, Phoenix Family volunteers will deliver your gifts for your family or senior.
We will begin delivering gifts to families and seniors two weeks before Christmas, so please bring your gifts to Phoenix Family’s Home Office at 3908 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64111 by Sunday, December 17th. If you are unable to deliver them at that time, let us know and a volunteer will arrange with you to pick them up at a location that is convenient for you.
We ask that all sponsors schedule a time to drop-off of their gifts.
You can schedule your drop-off using the link above, or contact Ellen at 816.612.8847.
Gifts will not be accepted if not scheduled for delivery. This is for the safety of all our sponsors and staff. When delivering, vehicles will pull around to Phoenix Family’s lower level parking lot and call Katelyn. Phoenix Family staff members will come outside, and unload the vehicle, then bring the gifts into the office. Sponsors may choose to stay in their vehicle or help direct staff as to what items will be taken.
Absolutely! Nonperishable food for a holiday dinner or throughout the year and cleaning supplies are always needed and very much appreciated by everyone.
Please contact us at holidays@phoenixfamily.org at 816.612.8844.
We ask that if you aren't able to participate after signing up to please let us know as soon as possible so that we can help them get adopted again.
We strive to contact every sponsor within two busines days. However, if after a week, you still haven't received any information, please call Laurel Groh at 816.612.8841.
If you would like to adopt a senior resient for the holidays, please fill out our online sponsor form and we will be in touch shortly!