Fulfill Holiday Wishes for 662 Bay Area Children

We did it! Family Giving Tree exceeded our goal and distributed joy to 53,000 children, adults, and seniors throughout the Bay Area!

We could not have done this alone. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of people like you who lead drives, collect gifts, donate, and volunteer in our warehouse every year. Every part of the process relies on the kindness of our community, and you continue to show us how impactful we can be when we commit to something together. 

An example is, Share My Sun, another non-profit whose mission is to uplift our community by making them feel less alone while facing medical challenges. During the Holiday Wish Drive, the folks there spread sunshine differently by serving as Drive Leaders and hosting a community toy drive in their neighborhood. We were so touched and inspired by how we, as non-profit organizations, can support each other and lift our community together.

Family Giving Tree has spent the last 32 years creating over 2 million moments of joy in the community. But our goal wasn't only to create joy. As a result of partnering with our fellow social service agencies, we've built bridges within communities to make a positive impact, connecting people who want to help to those needing support.

"One of our families we know has been hurting. They don't ask for anything, but every once in a while, the child will express how she has no toys at home. They live with someone else. Having to leave their previous home, she had to leave a good deal of toys behind, so she is feeling that loss. On our first day back into the program after the break, she came in with excitement. She proudly talked about her new toy and the gift her sister received. Her family bought her clothes but she received a toy from Family Giving Tree. She was extremely happy that Santa didn't forget her." -Circle Time CDC, FGT Partner Agency.

This year, as we strive to deliver 40,000 gifts, think about the impact your generosity can have. Your support of Family Giving Tree is always working to create more bridges with kindness and joy.

The holidays looked different for so many this past year but, thanks to your generosity, Family Giving Tree was able to deliver joy to 52,886 children, adults, and seniors in the Bay Area. Like Family Giving Tree, many of our partner social service agencies had to alter our original plans to ensure our community members could still receive their gifts in time. 

One of our partners decided to schedule appointments and do a drive-thru setup. While the families couldn’t open gifts together as a group, this no-touch method to distribute gifts was made extra special by a visit from a beloved DC comic book character, Batman, who handed the specific gifts to the families.

The looks on the families’ faces were filled with awe and excitement. It’s not every holiday you see your favorite hero let alone have them deliver your gifts. We are so thankful for how all of our partners find creative ways to deliver joy and offer hope to our community during difficult times. It proves that the magic of the holiday season is created by people who care, like you.

We did it! Together we served our two millionth recipient during this past Holiday Wish Drive. Not only that but we exceeded our goal; providing over 52,800 gifts to 14 counties throughout the Bay Area. 

This milestone came during a unique time in Family Giving Tree’s history but we still marked the occasion. Live streaming our celebration replaced the large swaths of people we had hoped would surround us during this time. A small group of dedicated volunteers, supporters, and staff managed to plan a small program and balloon drop to commemorate the moment along with the recipient agency. 

For over 30 years, Family Giving Tree has thrived because of the support of our community members and in turn supporting our partner agencies. We didn’t reach this milestone alone. Thank You!

The holidays are fast approaching and Family Giving Tree is preparing to deliver joy throughout the Bay Area. This year is different though, not just because we are still having to factor in safety guidelines for COVID-19, but also because this year we will be celebrating a milestone.

This year, Family Giving Tree will be delivering our 2 millionth gift! Think about what that means: 2 million smiles, 2 million needs, 2 million mini celebrations across the Bay Area during the holiday season.

For us, it’s 2 million reasons why we do what we do. 2 million neighbors who feel loved and seen. 2 million spirits uplifted and empowered. A community united to provide joy through 2 million wrapped surprises to delight.

We couldn’t do this alone and we still can’t. It’s partners like you that make the community a little kinder in the small acts of giving. Thank you for helping our small team do so much more than we thought possible.