Become a Secret Santa on #GivingTuesday

As the holiday season draws near, most people are gearing up for a time of happiness and comfort spent with family. However, for a majority of youth in foster care, the holidays can be a dismal time of year. Many have recently been removed from homes where they were being mistreated or not being nurtured properly. Others have been separated from people they loved and relied on, like their siblings. Regardless of their individual circumstances, they all have one thing in common: they are often forgotten in all the holiday cheer.

The Felix Organization works to make the season bright for these children with a Secret Santa gift-card drive. Every year, hundreds of supporters donate gift cards that are distributed to foster care agencies in New York City and Los Angeles. Then, the agencies hand out the gift cards to their youth, reminding them that someone cares. As one Secret Santa recipient, Tatiana, said, receiving a gift card “was a symbol that someone out there remembered us, that someone cared.”

Last year, Felix supporters donated over $33,000 in gift cards, allowing them to make a difference for over 700 youth during the holiday season. A great portion of this was donated by generous donors in honor of #GivingTuesday.

What is #GivingTuesday? It is a “global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses, and communities in countries around the world”, bringing millions of people together to support and champion the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live. #GivingTuesday takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, and was created in 2012 by the team at the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact. Since 2012, #GivingTuesday has mobilized millions of people and reached up to 71 countries. This year, #GivingTuesday will be on December 3rd and people from across the world will unite in giving back to make life a little brighter for others. We hope YOU will be one them!

Help us raise $25,000 in gift cards this year to provide gifts for over 750 children. Just one gift card can warm a child’s heart for the whole season. As the holidays approach, please keep our mission to enrich the lives of youth in foster care in your hearts and consider donating money to help make a foster child’s holiday great.

If you would like to be a Secret Santa, please send gift cards to:

Amanda Simonetta The Felix Organization 30 Lafayette Ave. Beacon, NY 12508

OR donate online HERE and we will buy the gift cards! Please deliver to be received by December 11th for holiday distribution. Thank you for your kindness this holiday season.