How are the families chosen?
• Once the application is received, the Citrus Heights Police Department screens the referred families through interviews and records checks of the referred applicants.
• The families are ranked based on the guidelines of the program and the interview scores. This assists the Police Department in selecting the qualified families who need assistance.
• Once selected, the families will provide a wish list for each of the children (this includes age, sex, clothing sizes, shoe sizes, what types of toys they like, essentials they need, etc.) as well as a couple items for the adults.

How are the families assigned?
• The Citrus Heights Police Department works closely with the adopting community members to assign families who best match the particular person’s donation capabilities.
o For example, choosing what size family they want, how many children in the family, etc.
• Assign individual(s), a work group, business group, family, or organization, to adopt the family in need.
• Provide the adopting family with the wish list information, so they can purchase the items for the family. Items donated to the police department will be available for the adopting families to “shop” for their families.
• The Police Department also partners with service clubs to provide each family with a food box for a holiday meal that includes a holiday dinner and non-perishables to help stock their cupboards. The adopting family does not need to provide food; however, they can choose to include food with their other donations.

I’m interested in adopting a family in need, what should I do?

• Citizens or businesses who want to adopt a family can email holidayreferral@citrusheights.net .
• Adopters are assigned families around the first week of December.
• On December 19, all the adopters drop off their gifts at the Community Center located at 6300 Fountain Square Drive (Next to Sam’s Club).
• December 20, the families come in and pick up their holiday gifts and food. Adopters are welcome to be present when the families pick up their gifts.