After 30 years, delivering millions of gifts to tens of thousands of children, the Adopt-A-Bear program has come to an end. In a post on the organization’s Facebook page on August 24, 2021, the organizers thanked everyone who volunteered throughout the years and asked their followers to
“Please consider supporting QAC Christmas Angels this year!”
QAC Christmas Angels was formed two years ago to serve students in grades 3 through 12 when Adopt-A-Bear limited its resources to kindergarten through 2 nd grade students. Like Adopt-A-Bear,
Christmas Angels serves as an “invisible pipeline” for individuals, groups and businesses to reach out
to children and their families during the holiday season. The program works closely with the local
schools and the family support center to identify children in need, and collect information such as the
child’s age, sizes and any special requests. The identities of the children are protected so there is no
stigma for participating in the program. This year, Christmas Angels will need the community’s support as they assume responsibility for Queen Anne’s County’s children in need in grades K-12. Volunteers and those wishing to adopt a
child are asked to go to the group’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/QAC-Christmas-Angels-
103060908226783/.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions last year, QAC Christmas Angels created a seamless process for
distributing information about donations. Using its Facebook page, interested individuals simply
message the organizers and then receive a return message with a child’s #, clothing sizes, and any
special needs and wants. Once they have completed their shopping, gifts are dropped off at a
central location in the Kent Town shopping center.
Many volunteers are needed to help ensure that the program runs smoothly, and each child is taken
care of. If you are interested in assisting, please contact Sharon Sweeney at 443-603-2335
(sharon.sweeney@qacps.org), or Linda Austin at 410-829-3136 (linda.austin@longandfoster.com).
Donations to support the program can be mailed to Chesapeake Charities, 101 Log Canoe Circle Ste.
O, Stevensville MD 21666, or made online at https://chesapeakecharities.org/fund/queen-annes-
county-christmas-angels/.