University of Albany Student-Athletes Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany student-athletes participated in the Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families Adopt-A-Family program for the holiday season. Members of all the UAlbany athletic teams raised money and bought gifts for sponsored families as a part of the project, sponsored by UAlbany’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

“Seeing the mom's face when we came to her house to drop off all the gifts is what Christmas is all about,” said Kristin Higy, a senior member of the UAlbany women’s basketball team. “She was so thankful for everything, just smiling from ear to ear and didn't stop smiling the whole time we were there. It feels good to know that we could make one family's Christmas special. We get so much for being athletes and sometimes we forget how good we all have it. Giving back to the community is what it's all about.

Members of UAlbany’s athletic teams have been participating in the Adopt-A-Family project for several years. Through the project, all money is raised and donated by the athletic teams. Representatives from each team then go out, purchase the items and wrap them. A few representatives from each team then go to the family’s homes to deliver the gifts before Christmas. SAAC also raised a total of $420 through 50/50 raffles at a home football and basketball game and donated the money to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Twenty-three pounds of food was also donated through a canned food drive at a home basketball game.

SAAC, which is made up of at least two representatives of each athletic team, helps to coordinate several community service activities each semester.