There is still a big need in Lawrence to help some families have a merry Christmas.

Women’s Transitional Care Services has 20 families it hopes will be adopted by Dec. 25.

“Everybody needs help, I’m sure, and we’ve gotten lots of calls all of a sudden, but we can always use more,” said Jan Sheridan, WTCS health and wellness advocate.

WTCS provides assistance to women and children who were in abusive family situations. If you want to buy gifts for one of the families, you can call WTCS at 865-3956. No names are given out, but callers will be asked what size of a family they want to adopt. Then they will be told the ages and genders of the family members they are adopting.

WTCS asks adopters to wrap the presents they buy and take them to the United Way building, 2518 Ridge Court. The gifts will then be delivered to the families, Sheridan said.

WTCS isn’t the only entity still needing families to be adopted. As of Wednesday afternoon there were still 50 families to be adopted at Penn House and three at Ballard Community Center.

Lawrence donors have already stepped forward in a big way to help adoption efforts. A little over a week ago East Central Kansas Economic Opportunity Corp. put out a call for 20 families to be adopted. That has happened, director Jeanette Collier said.

“It has been awesome,” she said. “Donors have responded not only to our Christmas adoption but also to our food pantry. Our food pantry is in good condition now.”

Senior citizens on a list at Douglas County Senior Services also have been adopted, a representative there said.