Valley Baptist Health System is well known for its generosity in supporting community activities. Less known, but significant, is the generosity exhibited by our employees, through the tremendous outpouring of donations to needy families during the Christmas holiday season.

A few years ago, employees of the Sandi Jo Funk Hospice Program, stirred by the poverty they saw in many patient’s families, initiated the Adopt-A-Family program. Employees pitched in to provide a wonderful Christmas by giving presents, household items, and food to families in need. When the effort outgrew the capabilities of the hospice program during Christmas of 2001, the Foundation offered assistance in organizing what has become a wonderful tradition.

Instead of doing the usual gift exchange, many departments choose to adopt a family. Families receive wrapped gifts and/or gift cards and often also receive a complete turkey dinner. Employees annually give thousands of dollars in gifts, gift cards, and food.

Thanks to the wonderful and giving people at Valley Baptist Health System who help create “Christmas Miracles” for many families in the Rio Grande Valley!

Comments by the staff and volunteers who delivered the gifts:
"She opened her Christmas gifts and was so happy and amazed by what she and her husband had received. She couldn't believe it and she wanted to cry when she received all the gift certificates. She couldn't stop shaking and wondering whom she was going to thank for her marvelous gifts. It was very pleasing to see her joy!"

quot;The family was very happy. They ate and were very grateful. Their faces lighted up."

"The family said this was the best Christmas they ever had and wondered what they had done to deserve this. She was very thankful as well as overwhelmed."

"I delivered a meal and gifts to the family of a patient who had expired. The funeral was that morning and when I arrived, the wife's face slightly lit up. She smiled with joy and said, "Oh my, this is just wonderful. Please thank everyone for us!"

"I took the gifts and turkey dinner to a bereaved family. The father was surprised and very, very grateful. "All this for us?" he questioned. I brought a Christmas card back to the office signed by the family members."

"The patient seemed to be more grateful that there were gifts for her daughter and grandchildren than for her. She said that she didn't need much. Whatever the patient had was always shared with others. "Christmas had never been this good for us. My gift to my family was going to be that I would be here for Christmas!"