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STEAC staff and volunteers with Santa at the holiday program

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Holiday Program

For nearly 60 years, the annual STEAC Holiday Program has brought community members together to help provide gifts and food to low-income Davis families and individuals in need. 

New for 2025: STEAC is piloting a Holiday Program in Winters that will serve a small number of low-income families.

Adopt a Family

You will provide gifts and food for your adopted family. You can be an adopter yourself, or with your family, friends, club, group, or workplace.

Davis Adopter Form
Winters Adopter Form

Volunteer

The Holiday Program needs lots of volunteers in November and December. If you are already a STEAC volunteer, you will receive an email about how to sign up to help this year. If you have not volunteered for STEAC before or haven’t filled out our volunteer form, let us know you are interested in helping with the Holiday Program this year.

Donate Money

In addition to adopting a family, there are also other ways to support low income families served by STEAC’s programs, including the Holiday Program. Make a donation to STEAC.
total families served
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total individuals served
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estimated value delivered
$ 0
total volunteers
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volunteer hours
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handmade blankets donated
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* in 2024

About the adoption process

Community individuals, families, and groups (office, club or business) may participate as an Adopter. An eligible family, who has been screened by a crew of dedicated STEAC volunteers, is matched with the Adopter. Adopters will provide gifts and food for your adopted family. Adopters and Adoptees remain anonymous to each other.

The matching process will begin in early November and continue to the middle of the month. Our goal is to match adopters with adoptees as quickly as possible, so as soon as a match is made, you will receive all necessary details about your adoption in email. All matching will be complete before Thanksgiving.

Drop-off dates for food and gifts for your Adoptees will be during the week of December 9-11, 2025.

Details and deadlines

The details and deadlines for taking part in the program will be sent in an email to the Adopters when they are matched with their family/families. The helpful information will include:

  • Donation drop-off dates and location.
  • A Food List of what grocery items to purchase for your adopted family based on size and their preferred ethnically-inspired food list.
  • Instructions for a Grocery Donation which is money that STEAC turns directly into grocery gift cards so your adopted family/families can purchase perishable food items such as meat, fresh produce and dairy from a local grocery store to complement the non-perishable food that you are providing.
  • A Wish List of gift ideas from each person in your adopted family. You are asked to provide one or more new gifts with a total value of about $35 for each family member.
  • A detailed FAQ list that should answer most other questions you may have.

Cost information by family size

Type of family # of family members Approximate cost
Single 1 $150 - $200
Small 2 - 3 $200 - $300
Medium 4 - 5 $300 - $400
Large 6 - 7 $400 - $500
Extra large 8+ $500+
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