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MIDVALE — At The Adoption Exchange, Christmas is in full swing. There's a Christmas tree in the lobby, some gift wrapping going on in a nearby room, and then there are the pictures of children hanging on every wall.
"Our main job is recruiting adoptive families for children living in foster care," said Lindsay Kaeding, Utah director of development for The Adoption Exchange.
Though that's their main goal every day of the year, it's around the holidays when a little more time is spent in one particular room.
"We're like Santa's elves," Kaeding said.
This year, Santa's elves are looking at a lot less donations and a lot more Utah kids in need.
"That number is up quite a bit from last year," Kaeding said. "It's up about 150 kids more than we served last year."
The demand keeps growing. So far, they already have a list of 615 kids needing a gift on Christmas morning.
"Unfortunately, we've had to turn some caseworkers away because we just don't have the number of sponsors left to fulfill the need," Kaeding said.
A gift is just a gift, but Kaeding said a gift means a lot more to a foster child.
"Christmastime for kids in foster care is a really lonely time for them," she said. "They're already living in homes that aren't theirs with families that aren't theirs."
The reality is most children living in foster care won't get the No. 1 item on their list. "When it really comes down to it, what our kids really want is a family and a home," Kaeding said.
Until then, these self-proclaimed elves will keep doing whatever they can to make Christmas morning a little brighter for those who need it the most.
"They will know that someone is thinking of just them on Christmas," Kaeding said. "They just feel a lot of pride knowing someone is giving them something. It just makes them feel really special."
UPDATE: Since the story aired on KSL TV on Monday night, The Adoption Exchange has received over 250 emails and phone calls, according to Lindsay Kaeding, Utah Director of Development at The Adoption Exchange.
"All the remaining children all the list were sponsored within the first two hours of The Adoption Exchange opening this morning. The Adoption Exchange is already contacting caseworkers that they had to decline earlier to see if their children are still in need," Kaeding said in a statement to KSL TV.
Monetary donations are still very much appreciated and will be used to purchase last minutes gifts for children entering foster care days before Christmas, Kaeding added.
If you would like to help a child living in foster care, monetary donations, as well as sponsors to buy presents, are being accepted. More information can be found at https://www.adoptex.org/get-involved/donate/subforsanta/
