NEWARK, Ohio — The gift of giving this holiday season is expanding beyond peoples’ immediate family. That’s what Salvation Army Lt. Kaitlyn Haddix’s passion is.

“When I was a little eight-year-old kid, somebody gave me a Christmas gift when my parents couldn't,” Haddix said. “And so, I've always worked hard to make sure that we provided Christmas gifts to people.”

Haddix oversees the Adopt-a-Family program in the Newark area. This year, with the pandemic more 1,800 children are in need, an increase from last year.

“It's heartbreaking to know their stories, to know about the fires that they've been through and the sickness that they've gone through and how COVID has just horribly broken their families and their hearts. And to see now that our community loves them so much to give back to them, it just brings such joy to my heart,” said Haddix.

The Adopt-a-Family program helps those who are facing significant financial hardships and are often unable to afford a Christmas dinner, new toys, and warm clothing for their children.

“So, you buy all of their wish list items, or at least a couple of them. They buy toys for the kids clothing, but they also provide a Christmas meal. Cause that's something about Christmas too is not only opening a gift, but having something to eat,” said Haddix.

Adopting a family isn’t new to the West Licking Fire Department. For 20 years, the department adopted every family in need on the entire west side of the county. Led by fireman Nick Rhodes, the crew helps more than 200 kids each year.

“It's a whole team effort,” he said. “There's about 100 men and women that work for us and it takes all of 100 of us to organize this, put this on, sorts the toys and ensure each child is getting something that they specifically asked for, which is kind of unique about our operation.”

The fire department alongside the Salvation Army bought over a hundred bicycles for children who asked for one.

“As a fireman, we have that natural eagerness or willingness to help people. Like, I get the opportunity to go to work every day and every single day, it's new, it's different, it's changing, it's evolving,” Rhodes said. “Well, when we go on EMS runs, we do see that there is a need in the community, for whatever scenario, and this gives us the opportunity to help these families a little bit further outside the normal lines of work.”

They look to do good this Christmas for those who need a helping hand.

“You never know the impact you're going to have on the life of a child until they grow up,” Haddix said. “I can tell you that I never knew the impact of how much a toy was going to affect me until I became an adult. And then I got to see a little kid get a toy and their face light up and wonder did anybody see my face light up as much as I get to see these kids? I have seen grown men cry just as much as I've seen the little kids cry because the Christmas gift really does make their day, but the parents’ faces, they're just as awesome.”

The Salvation Army is still accepting applications to Adopt-a-Family.

Contact a local Salvation Army branch for more information.