2023 Dear Santa Helper Project
"Bringing Joy to Parkside Children Every Christmas Since 1993"
About the Project:
Since 1993, Friends Of Parkside (FOP) has been bringing holiday cheer to children in the Villages at Parkside, a public housing complex, through our annual Dear Santa Helper Project. Our mission is to ensure every child experiences the joy of receiving a Christmas gift.
Who Are Santa Helpers?
Santa Helpers are kind-hearted individuals from across Michigan and the United States. They come from various backgrounds, including university faculty, hospital employees, student groups, and even scout packs. No matter where they're from or what they do, all our Santa Helpers share a common goal: to make Christmas special for a child.
How It Works:
- Children aged 5 to 14 from Parkside fill out a "Dear Santa Helper" form online.
- They share their first name, age, grade, their top three Christmas wishes, and why they chose these items.
- Santa Helpers read these letters and choose a child to 'adopt' for Christmas.
- They then purchase at least one of the three requested gifts.
- Gifts can be delivered or shipped to the FOP offices.
- Optionally, Santa Helpers can make a cash donation instead.
- All gifts are distributed to families as they arrive, with a deadline around December 11th. Need more time? Just let us know!
- In January, each Santa Helper receives a thank-you letter, a photo, and optionally a video from the child they helped.
As of now, we have received 45 heartwarming letters from children awaiting their Santa Helper.
Tax-Deductible Donations: Great news! Contributions to the Dear Santa Helper Project are tax-deductible. Friends of Parkside is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, registered with the Michigan Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Section (Registration #61299).
Become a Santa Helper: Ready to spread some holiday joy? Simply click at the top of this page to adopt a Parkside child or make a donation. You can choose a child based on gender, age, or grade. Businesses or organizations wishing to adopt five or more children, please contact FOP staff at 313.822.0311 or email [email protected] for more information.