Family is a theme that is manifested in every aspect of The Charles culture, from the name of the company and the founding siblings, to our company culture and team relationships. Therefore, it was only fitting that as part of our first initiative for The Charles Gives Back we are working with The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York’s Adopt-A-Family Program.

Each year, the Adopt-A-Family Program provides gifts and winter accessories to more than 800 families in need. It brings happiness and fills important needs during the holidays, to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Foregoing our annual Secret Santa, our team donated to The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York’s Adopt-A-Family Program. With a donation match provided by company co-founders Aaron Edwards and Samantha Edwards we were able to sponsor two NYC based families — one family of four and one family of eight. 

As with everything culture related at The Charles, compiling the gifts was a team event lead by Senior Project Manager – Natasha Eng. 

“The holidays are a time for connecting with your family and loved ones, and the entire team is ecstatic we’re able to help make our Adopt-A-Family’s holiday a little brighter. While we made sure to gift all the winter essentials, we had a lot of fun imagining what toys and activities our families might enjoy, and made sure to include a few pieces for each person that will bring joy all year long.”

But that’s not the best part. 

Upon hearing of our holiday mission, our client Alpha Industries donated a whopping TWELVE of their spectacularly warm N-3B Parkas to our gift list! Alpha Industries doesn’t simply make stylish outerwear – their rugged, high-performance coats will provide protection from the elements for many seasons to come. Many New Yorkers don’t earn enough to pay for basic winter necessities like heat or warm clothes – it’s an incredibly thoughtful and generous contribution, and one we’re certain the recipients will appreciate as much as we do. 

As we all know; the holidays can stress already tight budgets, and The Charles Gives Back was happy to provide relief to families in need. But what’s more, we were grateful for what this opportunity shared with us –  a reason to reflect on the theme of Family, and to honor what makes The Charles team a family all its own.

Interested in ensuring no one goes without this Holiday Season? Join us in adopting a family through CatholicCharitiesNY.org. Get matched with a family based on needs, and you or another volunteer can shop for everything on their wish list. Send all items to Catholic Charities to distribute.