Together We Cope and its Adopt a Child program hopes to create Christmas smiles for nearly 1,800 south suburban children this holiday season.

Instead of empty stockings, these children will be able to unwrap gifts given to them by strangers who care.

READ: Ways to Give Back for the Holidays

In these ongoing difficult economic times, Together We Cope turns to the communities it serves and asks for help. In turn, the organization help individuals and families in need in four townships: Bremen, Orland,  Palos and Worth.

The communities they serve include Tinley Park, Orland Park, Oak Forest and 24 other nearby towns.

When it comes to the annual gift drive, the sponsors have been generous, according to Margaret Seltzner, communications manager at Together We Cope.

The Adopt a Child program brings together children who might face a bleak, unhappy Christmas and asks residents to sponsor them. Volunteers buy toys, clothes and pajamas for each child. Each unwrapped gift is brought to Together We Cope’s Tinley Park headquarters.

READ: Memorial School Staffers Hold Food Drive

Some 1,800 children were identified as in need by Together We Cope from this year’s client list. Of those children, 1,300 have been “adopted.”

Deliveries to families begin next week, and adoptions are no longer being accepted. But people can still donate gifts to Together We Cope, which will be put together gift bags for the 500 children not adopted by sponsors. Donors can find out what is needed by calling 708-633-5040, and more information can be found on the nonprofit group's website.

Donations also are needed for teens. Suggested items include:

• Axe personal care products
• wallets
• scarves
• makeup kits
• jewelry
• CDs

Also, iTunes gift cards are popular with teens, as well as gift cards for fast food restaurants.

“We do appreciate donations from the community,” Seltzer said.

And it’s not just individuals who adopt the children, Seltzer said. Organizations, such as churches, schools and businesses, also can participate. One corporation adopted 100 of Together We Cope’s children. Another school lets its students attend classes in pajamas if they donate a pair of new pajamas to the Adopt a Child program.

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“What I like is that this program is totally supported by communities. Everything given to the 1,800 children is given by generous people in the communities,” Seltzer said.

Volunteers also use their skills to help the kids. Seltzer says one woman knitted 50 scarves, just because she wanted to do something. A group of ladies also gets together in the summer to start knitting baby afghans.

“People do lots of creative things here to be part of the program,” Seltzer said.

The number of children served by Together We Cope has increased this year, up from last year’s total of 1,300 children. The 1,800 children receiving Christmas gifts this year are not the same children who received gifts last year.

“Even though the recession is over, unemployment is still high, especially in the southern suburbs,” Seltzer said.

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