Turning Wishes to Santa into Reality
a means for people who “have” to become Santa for kids who have not
Santa for a Day is a 501 (c) (3) Public Charity,
so your generosity goes straight to the children.
Every kid celebrating Christmas dreams of waking to presents under a tree, but that’s not reality for 11 million children nationwide who live under the poverty line. For their families, the holidays feel bleak and stressful, as they cannot answer their children’s letters to Santa. But together, we can change that. You can make a meaningful difference for kids, right here at santaforaday.org.
You can be Santa for a Day, and bring hope and joy to life by making holiday dreams come true for kids who need it the most – fulfill Santa’s letters with a simple two-step click of generosity, and you’ll deliver gifts to kids who deserve a festive holiday season.
OUR MISSION
At this critical time in a child’s development, hope for a meaningful future is essential. Santa for a Day fulfills letters to Santa from kids living in underserved communities. Teaching youngsters the power of the pen… and then rewarding their efforts, by translating their wishes into reality, helps them author a new, more positive, and powerful narrative about life, one sparked by optimism and the vision of a brighter future.
ABOUT US
Santa for a Day (SFAD) is a non-religiously affiliated 501(c)(3) Public Charity providing holiday gifts, basic needs and educational supplies for children living in underserved urban areas.
SFAD serves children ages 5-12 from low-income, marginalized, and vulnerable communities, the majority of whom live more than 150% below the Federal Poverty Line in urban areas and/or city owned public housing properties. Our kids are disproportionately Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and/or come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Our aim is to reach into America’s most impoverished neighborhoods and show the power of goodness in the face of adversity through the holiday spirit, regardless of race, ethnicity, financial ability, gender, or religion. Our two-fold mission includes spreading hope while empowering childhood literacy- we teach youngsters the power of the pen and reward their efforts by translating their wishes into reality. Santa for a Day has been operating since 2018 and last year, SFAD reached more than 6,800 children, delivering almost 14,000 holiday presents in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.
Learn More About SFAD and the Families We Serve
TESTIMONIALS
Programs such as Santa for a Day have the unique power to dramatically transform the arc of a young child’s personality as well as to transform the trajectory of his or her future… Whether they believe in Santa or not, God-bless all who support this wonderful and life-changing endeavor!”
– US Congressman Danny Davis (IL)
“As someone devoted to making government at all levels more efficient and responsive to my constituents, I find it remarkable how a volunteer concept, like Santa for a Day, that is so elegant in its simplicity, can so quickly leverage such wide-spread, and heart-felt, joy and cheer!”
– Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (MI)
Our National Sponsors
OUR PROCESS
We’ve partnered with local housing authorities in eight cities to impact kids living in locally underserved areas. These children write a letters to Santa that are collected by our housing partners – the letters are redacted for privacy, then sent to SFAD .
Each child can ask for three items: something educational, something they really want (like a toy), and something that they/their family member really needs. SFAD transforms kids’ letters into individual online shoppable letters that you can read and then click to buy a pre-matched gift via credit card at santaforaday.org.
Orders are encrypted then transmitted to our online partner, Amazon.com, who then ships items to SFAD. SFAD wraps and gets the gifts to each city with our shipping partner, Uber Freight who generously powers Santa’s sleigh. Our housing partners then surprise the kids with the magic of the gifts at their respective holiday parties.
GET INVOLVED
Volunteers help Santa for a Day succeed in spreading joy. We hope you’ll consider the many ways to give of your time:
- Local letter writing events: Assist younger children (in our eight markets) in writing their letters to Santa, teaching them the power of the pen and helping them learn how to share their stories.
- Identifying gifts: Johnny wants a red fire truck, but which red fire truck is it? Work with our partners at Amazon.com to pick the right one!
- Gift-wrapping: Packages arrive at SFAD HQ in the Chicago area, and need to be quickly wrapped and shipped. It’s such a fun way to spend a few hours, so please join us!
- Fundraising events: As we build momentum, there will be many opportunities to support. Please check back here for updates on how to get involved. Or drop us a line via email at info@santaforaday.org
Ways to Give
STOCKS AND MUTUAL FUNDS
Take the tax-wise approach and donate stock or mutual funds. Download Stock Donation Instructions.
IN-KIND DONATIONS
Our organization welcomes in-kind gifts including computers, supplies, and your expertise. Please email info@santaforaday.org if you would like to contribute products or services to Santa for a Day.
PLANNED GIVING
Consider including the Santa for a Day in your planned giving and join the Santa for a Day Legacy Fund.
DONATE YOUR CAR
Buying a new car? Getting rid of an old one? You can easily donate your vehicle and you will get a minimum of $500 tax deduction AND Santa for a Day receives proceeds to support our work!
