🤝 How We Help- Our Programs

Supporting Local Families Through Every Season

Blue Water Wish for Kids is a grassroots, community-powered nonprofit serving children and families in the Blue Water area, including St. Clair and Sanilac counties.

What began as A Wish for Christmas in 2013 has grown into year-round family support rooted in compassion, dignity, and local care. Our programs are designed to meet families where they are — offering practical help during times of hardship while encouraging stability, responsibility, and community connection.

All programs are offered based on need, availability, and community support.

🎄 A Wish for Christmas

A Founding Program

A Wish for Christmas is the program that started Blue Water Wish for Kids in 2013 and remains an important part of the heart of our mission. What began with helping local children experience the joy of Christmas has grown into a community-supported program that brings together individuals, families, businesses, organizations, and Community Partners to help local children and families during the Christmas season.

Our Christmas program includes child and family adoptions, wish lists, and direct distribution of new toys, gifts, clothing, and other needed items to participating families. Building an inventory of new toys and gifts allows BWWFK to help families whose needs may not be fully met through adoption and respond to additional needs throughout the Christmas season.

In 2025, A Wish for Christmas supported 360 local children, made possible entirely through the generosity of our community.

🚨 Emergency Family Support

Short-Term Help During Unexpected Hardship

Emergency Family Support helps local families facing urgent financial hardship with essential bills, utilities, and rent shortages when other assistance may not be available. This program is intended to help fill gaps for families who do not qualify for state or other assistance programs, have been denied assistance, or are facing an urgent need that cannot be met through other available resources.

All requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the need is verified before assistance is provided. When assistance is approved, BWWFK makes payment directly to the landlord, utility company, service provider, or other appropriate source rather than providing funds directly to the applicant.

Assistance is subject to available funding and BWWFK’s ability to assist at the time.

📦 Blessing Essential Boxes

Our Blessing Essentials Boxes are already providing practical, individualized support to local families facing hardship. Each box is based on the specific needs of the family receiving it and the resources available at the time. Assistance may include hygiene products, cleaning supplies, household essentials, baby items, clothing, seasonal necessities, gift cards for specific needs or fresh groceries, and other essential items.

We’ve already been able to provide Blessing Essentials Boxes to local families, and we’re continuing to grow the program as needs arise. Financial contributions and in-kind donations that meet current family needs help us provide meaningful support without taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

We’re also seeking Community Partners to help grow our Blessing Essentials Boxes program. Local businesses and organizations can support the program through financial or in-kind contributions, hosting collection drives, or serving as an ongoing BWWFK donation drop-off location in the community.

🎒 Back-to-School Support

Helping Kids Start the School Year Prepared

Back-to-School Support helps children begin the school year with the supplies, clothing, and essentials they need to feel prepared and confident.

Support may include backpacks, school supplies, clothing, shoes, and hygiene items, provided through supply drives or community distribution events.

🌱 Building Strong Families

Practical Support for Greater Stability

Building Strong Families provides practical tools, resources, guidance, and encouragement to help families strengthen everyday life at home. The program is designed to support families as they work toward greater stability, confidence, and independence while managing the realities of work, caregiving, finances, and household responsibilities.

Support and resources may include:

  • Grocery stretching and making the most of a household food budget

  • Freezer meal preparation and meal planning

  • Budgeting and household money management

  • Household organization and management

  • Time and workflow planning

  • Resume and job-search guidance

  • Parenting encouragement and family-focused resources

  • Creative and constructive outlets

  • Practical life skills that support long-term household stability

The goal is not simply to help families through a difficult moment, but to provide useful tools and connections that can help them move forward and build greater stability over time.

While every family's situation is different, our goal remains the same: to provide support, encouragement, and community connection while helping families move forward with dignity and hope.

Our Commitment

Across all programs, Blue Water Wish for Kids is committed to:

  • Preserving dignity and privacy

  • Encouraging responsibility and forward movement

  • Supporting families without judgment

  • Remaining locally focused and community-driven

We believe lasting impact happens when families are supported, encouraged, and surrounded by a caring community.

Stay Connected

Program updates, volunteer opportunities, community needs, and ways to help are shared through our website, newsletter, and social media channels.

📧 Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates directly from Blue Water Wish for Kids.

📘 Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/bwwfk

📸 Follow us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bluewaterwishforkids/

Together, we can continue supporting local families through every season.