Starting in October, Share Our Selves (SOS) will start a three-month-long effort to give a little cheer and warmth this holiday season to local needy families, which will culminate at the Orange County Fair & Exposition Center on Dec. 23.

In its 36th year, SOS's Adopt-A-Family program attempts to pair generous individual and corporate donors with hundreds of needy Orange County children and their families in hopes to brighten otherwise bleak holidays.

Last year, some 1,200 families from 68 Costa Mesa and Santa Ana schools benefited from the generosity of 500 donors and the efforts of SOS.

Pre-registered donors are asked to provide food or grocery certificates for a complete dinner for their adopted family and/or two new gifts for the adopted child. Smaller donations and monetary donations also will be accepted and combined for families who cannot otherwise be matched with a specific donor.

Donations will be collected on Dec. 23 from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. in Buildings 10, 12 and Parade of Products. Extra gifts and food can be dropped off earlier on Dec. 21 or 22.

For more information about donating or volunteering, contact Liz Phillips at (949) 642-3451 extn. 259 or visit www.shareourselves.org.