Here's how you can shop for Indianapolis families in need this holiday season

There's no ignoring it: Rising retail prices are making holiday shopping harder this year for many.

Surveys by RetailMeNot, an online service tracking shopping trends and deals, show that continued inflation is causing shoppers to budget more and strategize to find the right deals. Shoppers surveyed by the service said they planned to spend an average of $932 on holiday shopping and gifts in 2023, versus the average of $725 in 2022.

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If you're in a position to spend a little more this holiday season and want to give back to your neighbors, here are a few ways you can join local agencies in shopping for families in need.

The Jewish Federation of Indianapolis

What: The Jewish Federation of Indianapolis serves over 80 families during the Hanukkah season. Sponsors can sign up to adopt a family or individual online and drop off or ship gifts directly to Jewish Family Services. You can also shop for general items posted to the organization's Amazon wish list: bit.ly/47ADbZW.

When: Gifts should be dropped off or shipped directly to Jewish Family Services, 6905 Hoover Road, by Dec. 1.

Get involved: Email Rachel Katz at rkatz@jfgi.org or fill out the registration form at jewishindianapolis.org/adoptafamily during the month of November to receive a family or individual's wish list. To arrange a drop-off time and date, email Rachel Katz.

To volunteer to help wrap gifts during the organization's Nov. 19 Community Day, visit jfgi.regfox.com/adopt-a-family-2023.

La Plaza

What: La Plaza provides support to Latino youth and families. Staff and volunteers work with the families to create wish lists with the names, ages and gift requests of children and adults in each family in its holiday Adopt-A-Family Program. Sponsors are welcome to do the shopping and wrapping and can drop off gifts to La Plaza (8902 E. 38th St.) or coordinate to drop off toys directly to the family. Alternatively, sponsors can make a financial contribution and La Plaza will shop and wrap gifts. Sponsors should spend at least $50 per family member.

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When: Sponsors are matched with families around mid-November.

Get involved: To learn more or to adopt a family, contact Cesar Jones at cesar@laplaza-indy.org or visit laplazaindy.org/donate.

Damar Services

What: There are multiple volunteer opportunities to join Damar Services, which serves Hoosier children and adults with developmental, behavioral and intellectual disabilities their families, to shop for and wrap gifts for 200 children who call Damar their temporary home. Shopping volunteers can join the agency at a southwest-side Meijer (10509 Heartland Blvd.) to go shopping using provided wish lists. Everything purchased will be paid for by Damar. Wrapping volunteers can meet at the giftwrap station set up at the back of the store. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own boxes and wrapping supplies, if preferred.

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When: There are multiple time slots available for both shopping and wrapping duties Dec. 5-6, each lasting about an hour and a half. Activities run 3-7:30 p.m. both days.

Get involved: Sign up for a time slot at bit.ly/3QDXsa5.

The Damien Center

What: The Damien Center, the state's largest and oldest AIDS service organization, has about 150 clients who have requested holiday assistance for themselves and their families. Sponsors can choose to donate money to purchase gift cards for an individual or family, if that's what the clients have requested, or they can choose to adopt a family and purchase gifts. Those interested in adopting an individual or family to shop for will receive a wish list of items and should expect to spend $50 per family member.

When: Sponsor applications should be filled out by Dec. 11, and those interested in sponsoring via gift card donations should do so by Dec. 4. Gifts can be dropped off Dec. 11-15 at the Damien Center's administration building, 3909 N. Meridian St., during regular business hours.

Get involved: If you are interested in sponsoring a client or family, contact Claud Binion, holiday assistance coordinator, at cbinion@damien.org. To make a financial contribution to support families not yet sponsored, visit damien.org/give and note that the gift should be directed to the holiday assistance program.

Kids' Voice of Indiana

What: Kids' Voice of Indiana provides court-appointed advocacy services for Marion County youth affected by the justice or family welfare systems. While almost all holiday wish lists have already been claimed this year, the organization encourages those interested to shop for the Kids' Voice Youth Enrichment Closet, which provides gifts to children all year long, via the organization's Amazon wish list: a.co/80R13eC. Items can be shipped to the Kids' Voice offices at 127 E. Michigan St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

When: Gifts for the Youth Enrichment Closet can be purchased at any time.

Get involved: To donate to Kids' Voice of Indiana, visit kidsvoicein.org/donations. To learn more about volunteering as a child's court advocate, visit kidsvoicein.org/get-involved.

Salvation Army Angel Tree

What: Each year, the Salvation Army connects donors with "angels," or children in need, to ensure they get personalized gifts for the holidays. These children can be adopted before Nov. 30 by visiting bit.ly/3G0Zkos, clicking "sponsor now" and following the prompts. Sponsors will be able to see a child's wish list, which includes toys, socks and underwear. Shoppers should expect to spend a minimum of $100 on gifts.

When: Gifts should be dropped off at one of the following locations by Dec. 1:

• Monday and Tuesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to noon at the Eagle Creek Corps Community Center, 4400 N. High School Road

• Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the Fountain Square Corps Community Center, 1337 Shelby St.

• Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Salvation Army Indiana Divisional Headquarters, 6060 Castleway West Drive. Sponsors can also drop off gifts at this location from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 2.

Get involved: To learn more about how to sponsor a child, shop or donate, visit bit.ly/3G0Zkos.

The Villages of Indiana

What: The Villages is one of the state's largest nonprofit child services agency, with offices across the state serving about 2,700 children and youth a day. There are several ways you can help this year:

• Shop or host a holiday gift drive for children, from infants to teens, via the agency's Amazon wish list: bit.ly/3QZvyGR.

• Sponsor a kinship care family — which includes children cared for by family members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles or siblings — by providing gifts for the entire family. Families vary in size from two to eight people, and the suggested spend is about $100 per family member. Sign up at villageskids.org/spiritofgiving23.

• Sponsor older youth aging out of foster care by buying gifts like gift cards (suggested retailers are Walmart, Target, Old Navy, Kohls, Amazon or Starbucks), perfume and cologne, electronics, fleece blankets and/or household items. You can view the agency's older youth wish list and ship gifts directly to offices throughout the state: bit.ly/3MGnjgz. Gifts can be shipped directly to Villages offices in Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis or Terre Haute or dropped off Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Call to ensure staff availability.) Shipping addresses can be found at villageskids.org/spiritofgiving23.

When: New, unwrapped gifts must be dropped off or delivered to your nearest Villages office by Dec. 8. In Indianapolis, the mailing address is 3833 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46208.

Get involved: To learn more about ways to give or to sign up to sponsor a kinship care family, visit villageskids.org/spiritofgiving23.

Westminster Neighborhood Services Christmas Baskets

What: Westminster Neighborhood Services provides aid to a small but high-need area of the city's near east side, where over 40% of residents live below the poverty level and over 20% live with annual incomes of less than $10,000. Each year, the agency's Christmas basket program provides gifts and clothing to children in need. You can adopt a family and shop or volunteer to assemble and/or distribute the baskets.

Shoppers can sign up online and receive a gift request, each including a child's first name, age, gender, pant and shoe sizes as well as a toy or gift they're hoping for this year. The agency asks that, in addition to the gift requests, donors purchase a winter hat, gloves, socks and underwear. Please keep the gifts to $25 or under. Sponsors are encouraged to wrap the toy or gift if interested, but not the clothing items. Be sure to note the identification number associated with the child when dropping off or shipping gifts.

When: Gifts must be shipped to or dropped off at the agency, 2325 E. New York St., by Dec. 1.

Volunteers will be needed to assemble baskets Dec. 4-7 from 1-4 p.m.; Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to set up; and Dec. 9 from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. to distribute gift baskets onsite or from 9 a.m. to noon to deliver gift baskets.

Get involved: To sign up to shop for a child, visit bit.ly/3R0rRko. To volunteer, visit westmin.org/volunteer-sign-up.

Reach IndyStar newsroom development director Holly Hays at holly.hays@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Helping families in need: Indianapolis agencies seek gifts, volunteers