Bucks County Opportunity Council Adopt-a-Family program brings holiday cheer

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The holiday season is often overwhelming, especially for families struggling financially. For over twenty years, the Bucks County Opportunity Council Adopt-a-Family program has strived to relieve some of that stress. This program provides financial assistance for the holidays to people enrolled in BCOC programs by pairing participant households with donors to purchase gifts and gift cards for the holidays.

Donors decide how many families and/or individuals they would like to sponsor, sign up on the BCOC website, and are sent the names and ages of all family members and a donation form with instructions via email. The suggested donation value is $100 per family member and up. These are families who are actively working with a coach on the BCOC team to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Adults with no family or children are also available to sponsor, including seniors. Often, this program provides the only gifts that are received.

Every year, community members are eager to make the holiday special. Their generous support is truly impactful, and donors tend to return year after year, expressing their sense of fulfillment and connection when they participate.

“I support the Adopt a Family program because I struggled as a single mother. I know how hard it is to live paycheck to paycheck and try to provide the holiday my children deserve. If I can help just one family, it will make my holiday. -Sarah M.

Last year, Tomasa had tears in her eyes when she received the Adopt-a-Family program gift cards. “Thank you very much for this help. I am grateful to BCOC and my generous donor. I was not expecting to get all this.” Tomasa also said that the generosity of the donor had a big impact on her personal life and her family. In winter, her husband, who is in construction, works less hours due to the cold temperatures. They know they can only use the income to pay house bills like rent, utilities, and food. The kids couldn’t believe that they were able to get what they had put on their wish lists. Tomasa will always remember the big smiles on their faces.

The program is open and ready for sponsors with all donations due by December 11, 2026. The link to sign up is also available here, Sponsor Information and on the BCOC website, bcoc.org. For questions, please reach out to Danielle Bush, Volunteer and Community Connections Manager, at dbush@bcoc.org.

BCOC is the lead anti-poverty, non-profit organization in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, dedicated to ending poverty by connecting people with the resources they need to thrive.

BCOC has five major program areas: Housing, Food, Weatherization, Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) and the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) Program. Housing includes emergency services, rental and move in aid, and utility shut-off prevention. The Food Program supplies food directly to families through a network of 75 food pantries and distribution sites. Weatherization services help families in reducing their energy costs. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance. The ES Program assists individuals and families to leave poverty permanently through case management, education, and employment.

For over 60 years, the Opportunity Council has served low-income families in Bucks County by helping them to stabilize when in crisis, garner resources to achieve a livable wage, gain additional education and training, and work towards economic self-sufficiency.

Habitat Bucks Welcomes Home its 138th Homebuyer

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Two weeks ago, joy and gratitude rang out loud and clear on Thistle Street in Bristol, honoring all those who came together to make homeownership attainable for a local first-time homebuyer.

Serina Gaston, Habitat Bucks’ new Chief Executive Officer, emphasized what is possible when people join one another in compassion and shared purpose. Every hand has an immeasurable impact on a homebuyer’s transformative journey to homeownership, including their own.

“It truly takes a village,” Serina shared. “To LaToya and her family, you have so much to be proud of. You walked through that door with ambition, perseverance, and courage. To you, I say congratulations and welcome home.”

Surrounded by that village, including friends, family, volunteers, and local community leaders, LaToya was lifted up as a person of faith and perseverance.

“When one door closes, another one opens,” LaToya said, speaking directly to her children and imploring them to “keep going.” She is keenly aware that this moment is about the long view, seeing in herself an example for others who have walked similar paths, especially as she purchases a home in the very neighborhood where she was raised.

Alongside more than 250 on-site volunteers contributing over 1,355 hours, including 1,000 hours completed by Woodside Church of Yardley, this newly constructed three-bedroom house is finally the place LaToya and her family can call ‘home.’

Habitat Bucks is proud partners with Bucks County, as this homeownership project was financed in part by a HOME grant from the County of Bucks Department of Housing & Community Development and an LSA grant from the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Bucks. We also extend our gratitude to our generous supporters who made these projects possible, including the Parx Casino, M&T Bank, PECO-Exelon, Woodside Church, GAF, and Lemus Construction.

Habitat Bucks also thanks those who attended the dedication, including local, state, and federal leaders: Representative Tina Davis, a representative from Senator Steve Santarsiero’s office, Jeff Darwak of the Redevelopment Authority, Regina Freeman of the Bucks County Department of Housing & Community Development, Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick.

The dedication was recorded on Facebook Live. To view it or to learn more about how to get involved with Habitat Bucks, please visit Habitat Bucks’ Facebook page.

About Habitat Bucks: Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County’s mission is simple: Building Communities, Empowering Families.

Since 1990, Habitat Bucks has built or fully renovated 138 homes in Bucks County through its Homeownership Program, providing first-time homebuyers the opportunity to build strength, stability and self-reliance. Its Home Repair Program provides affordable home repairs and accessibility modifications for low-income homeowners, impacting more than 500 households since 2011. Habitat Bucks also has a financial empowerment program, Almost Home, where over 450 participants have saved more than $315,000 and reduced their debt by over $203,000 since 2016.

Additionally, Habitat Bucks coordinates three ReStores, Habitat’s brand of donation center. Revenue from its three ReStores provides a source of sustainable funding for the construction and repair of homes.

Habitat Bucks has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone deserves a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to volunteer to lend a helping hand. For more information, call 215.822.2812 or visit habitatbucks.org.

Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce News Newswire

Bucks County Opportunity Council Adopt-a-Family program brings holiday cheer

Habitat Bucks Welcomes Home its 138th Homebuyer