Boys & Girls Club Blog

November 6, 2023

During the holidays, with help from kind and generous donors, the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh tries to ease the burden on families in the greatest need. Many parents and guardians of our Club members are focused on making ends meet. This often means not having quite the “typical” Thanksgiving or Christmas like other families.

Through programs and events such as our Adopt a Family program, Thanksgiving Meals, and Festival Food Turkey Trot (which supports the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh and Oshkosh YMCA) we can make the 2023 holiday season a joyful one again for many Boys & Girls Club members and families!

Adopt a Family
Those families who are referred to the program by full-time Boys & Girls Club staff, create wish lists for each child in their household (including basic needs items, clothing and even toys). The Club anonymously matches each family with a donor and provides the donor with the family’s wish lists so they can shop and wrap gifts for their adopted family. Last year the Club was able to assist over 220 Club youth for the holidays!

If you are interested in adopting a family this year, please sign up at bgcosh.org/adopt-a-family. Donors are being matched with families from now through the end of November. There will be a safe drop-off for the gifts at the Club for donors in early December.

Thanksgiving Meals
There are many Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh families who will not sit down together and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal this year because they cannot afford it and/or are unable to prepare it. If you would like to help a Club family enjoy a Thanksgiving Meal, you can purchase meals at bgcosh.org/thanksgiving-meals through November 15. The Club will take care of purchasing and delivering the prepared Festival Foods Thanksgiving meals for our families.

Festival Foods Turkey Trot
It’s a great opportunity for everyone (including your dogs!) to get some fitness in before the Thanksgiving meal and to join the community in a long-time tradition. The 16th annual Turkey Trot will be held on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23rd, at 8 A.M. starting at the Oshkosh Senior Center, North Building, located at 234 N Campbell Road.

The festive five-mile run and two-mile walk/run and dog jog will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh and the Oshkosh Community YMCA. Participants will receive a free long-sleeved t-shirt and a Festival Foods 6” Upper Crust pumpkin pie. Register online now through November 23rd. Turkey Trot is also in need of volunteers. Volunteers receive a Turkey Trot long-sleeved t-shirt as a thank you. Register for the run/walk or volunteer at festivalfoodsturkeytrot.com/oshkosh-wi.