A Time for Sharing : ‘Adopt’ Program Helps Affluent Families Brighten Holidays for the Needy

Little Edgar Garcia was looking to open at least one gift before Christmas following a holiday visit Sunday morning from the Marias family.

“Look what they gave me. They’re presents!” said the smiling 4-year-old, holding up a bag of gifts delivered to the Garcias’ Pacoima home by Richard and Teri Marias and their two young children.

The Marias family, participants in a Pacoima-based adopt-a-family program sponsored by Meet Each Need with Dignity (MEND), brought presents that filled the bottom of the Garcia family’s sparsely decorated Christmas tree. The Marias family also brought groceries, including a turkey, ham, fruits and vegetables, and even a chocolate Santa Claus.

The Garcias were so appreciative of the 30-minute visit that they offered the Marias family services such as cleaning their home or performing other manual labors. The Garcias’ humble circumstances prevent them from offering fancy gifts or food, but they can do things to make the lives of others a little easier, the family said.

To the delight of everyone, the tie between the two families, which began about a year ago through the adopt- a-family program, is thriving. Organizers said it shows how two families with dramatically different financial situations can connect in a way that makes everyone involved feel better.

This year, the nonprofit agency has matched nearly 200 low-income families with donors who, over the next few days, will provide Christmas food and gifts. In addition, another 1,000 needy households will receive holiday gift baskets under the 20-year-old program.

This year the process began at the end of October, when low-income families signed up for the program. Home visits by MEND volunteers determined which families qualified for the assistance.

“It really adds a personal touch to people who were in critical situations and provides an opportunity for others in the community to be face-to-face with someone who’s poor,” said MEND Executive Director Marianne Haver Hill. “Often, middle-class and upper-middle-class folks don’t have that opportunity.”

For Richard Marias, 37, a Tarzana dentist, much of the value of the program is vested in his 6-year-old daughter, Rachel, and 3-year-old son, David.

“It’s important for my children to get into the habit of helping people out,” said Marias. “It means a lot when they carry the groceries in rather than dropping food off at a food bank.”

Last year, the “luck of the draw” assigned Marias to Roberta Vargas, Juan Garcia and the couple’s two children, Martha Nayeli, 7, and Edgar, 4, for their first donation of gifts. After Christmas passed, Marias and his family stayed in touch with the Garcia family and followed up with visits every four to six weeks, bringing sacks of fresh fruit, vegetables and canned goods.

“It’s important with so many government safety nets disappearing that we realize that each of us personally needs to help out somebody else on a continuing basis,” Marias said. “This need is there 12 months out of the year.”

Judging by the smiles, handshakes and thanks being exchanged between the two families Sunday, their relationship is working out fine. Each family described the other as respectful, dignified and gracious.

“They’re very sweet,” said Teri Marias.

Despite the Garcia family’s difficulty with English and the Marias family’s difficulty with Spanish, they communicate as best they can, sometimes turning to others for translations.

Juan Garcia, 29, who works sewing clothes at a local factory, presented Marias with a new pair of slacks as a holiday present and wished him God’s blessings. Garcia said it would be wonderful if his family did not need the Marias’ help, but that is not the reality and his children deserve to enjoy the holiday.

“If I don’t earn enough to give them what they need, then I shouldn’t deny it,” said Garcia, who allowed his son to open one present, a board game, Sunday. “It’s important that they have gifts like all children. I would feel worse if they did not have anything.”