Maine Christmas Gift Program Sets November 13 Deadline
Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine is asking families and sponsors to sign up before a November 13, 2026 deadline for holiday gifts.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Philanthropy
Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine has set a November 13, 2026 deadline for families to sign up for Christmas gift sponsorship. Gift drop-off is scheduled for November 21, 2026 at the University of Maine at Presque Isle Campus Center.
Why it matters
The program connects families with community sponsors who provide Christmas gifts, and the organization expects to serve substantially more children statewide this year than last. Families who miss the deadline can still be placed on a wait list.
The program provided gifts for about 1,400 children statewide last year and expects to reach closer to 2,000 this year. In Aroostook County, 140 gifts have already been provided this year, compared with about 125 for all of last year.
The players
Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine
A Maine organization that has connected families with community sponsors for Christmas gifts for nearly 30 years.
Sarah Hatt
The organization contact who sponsors can reach at sarah@affm.net to get involved in the gift program.
The details
Families fill out a form listing their children's clothing sizes, Christmas wishes, and favorite colors so sponsors can learn about them. The organization then delivers the collected gifts to families in time to be opened on Christmas.
Timeline
Last year: program provided gifts for about 1,400 children statewide.
Friday, November 13, 2026: deadline for families to sign up for gift sponsorship.
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 9 a.m. to noon: gift drop-off at UMPI Campus Center.
Christmas 2026: families open gifts delivered by the organization.
Philanthropy Trajectory
The program's projected rise from about 1,400 children statewide last year to closer to 2,000 this year marks a substantial expansion of its nearly 30-year sponsorship effort. Growth in Aroostook County, where 140 gifts have already been provided this year compared with about 125 last year, suggests the expansion is reaching local communities as well.
Families who miss the November 13 deadline can join a wait list rather than being excluded. Community members who want to help can contact Sarah Hatt at sarah@affm.net to sponsor a child before the holiday.
The takeaway
Community sponsorship keeps the holiday gift program running for families across Maine, and signing up early improves the chances of matching a child's wishes. Those who cannot sponsor directly can still help by donating or volunteering before the deadlines.
What happens next
Families must sign up by Friday, November 13, 2026, and gifts are due for drop-off at the UMPI Campus Center on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Further reading
For more on charitable giving efforts like this one, explore Philanthropy coverage.
More information
Sponsors can learn more through Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine sponsorship information.
