Dozens of foster children met Santa Claus in Dutchess and received gifts. Here's how
Amid the pandemic, before vaccinations were available to the general public and before many restrictions were lifted, Rachel and Mike Doyle last December managed to keep Fostering Hope Together’s annual Breakfast with Santa going.
The nonprofit group dedicated to assisting families within the foster care system still gave dozens of children the opportunity to meet Santa Claus, still gave each of them gifts, and still supplied families a packaged to-go breakfast.
But with families coming and going through the morning, “we really thought we lost something there,” Rachel Doyle said. In addition to the hot breakfast, she said, they had lost a sense of togetherness.
“Our event is about spreading hope and love to those who need it,” she said, calling the day a “personalized” experience for the families. “It’s not just about the gifts. It’s about showing these families that there’s a community behind them and they’re loved.”
How to donate: Click here to help Dutchess families
Holiday Helping Hand: See who has donated this year
Small donations add up: How Holiday Helping Hand aids Dutchess families
That’s why last weekend, despite the pandemic’s continuing impact and the onset of omicron, Fostering Hope Together’s sixth annual Breakfast with Santa was enjoyed as a group, with organizers taking steps to enhance safety, such as finding a new, larger venue to accommodate dozens of families.
And, just like every other year, each child received a personalized gift from Santa Claus.
Those gifts were made possible through a $2,000 grant from Holiday Helping Hand, a fundraising collaboration between the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region and the Poughkeepsie Journal, which each year raises money for dozens of charitable programs in Dutchess County.
But there were many groups pitching in to make it a weekend to remember for 206 kids and 69 families.
The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Police Benevolent Association donated two carloads of toys, while three churches helped by sponsoring the wish lists of individual families. Minard Farms Beverage Company, In & Out Deli and Adams Fairacre Farms donated food for the event, and Roy C. Ketcham’s cheerleading team collected food to create baskets for families to take home. Hopewell EZ storage provided a box truck, which Mike Doyle used to deliver gifts the following day to the dozens of families that opted not to attend in person.
Rachel and Mike Doyle decided to start the organization in 2015, inspired by their own experience as foster care parents.
This year’s breakfast on Dec. 18 was held at Fishkill Baptist Church’s gymnasium, which had the space needed to spread out families safely.
“Families arrived by appointment times, and they sat and had a huge breakfast,” Rachel Doyle said. Nearly 30 of the 69 families served showed up for the breakfast. It was more than last year’s total of 19, but fewer than anticipated, due to people who unexpectedly had to quarantine amid the virus’ recent spread.
After breakfast, individual families took turns going into a separate room where Santa was waiting to give each child a gift.
“One mom, when she came in with her two children, the children were so excited to see Santa,” Rachel Doyle said, recalling the mom had only recently gained custody of her children. “As they started opening their gifts, she just started crying.”
After the big moment, the children were sent to a stocking station, where each picked out a Christmas stocking with small items. Then families picked up the other gifts purchased for them off personalized wish lists, as well as a food basket with ham and other items for a complete Christmas dinner.
Despite the added hurdles to pull it off, Rachel Doyle said reverting the breakfast to involve a larger group paid off.
“There’s something about loving someone in person,” she said, noting the amount of help that goes into pulling it off each year. “It takes a village. There’s a community that just rallies around us.”
How to donate to Holiday Helping Hand
For nearly four decades, Holiday Helping Hand, a joint venture between the Poughkeepsie Journal and United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, has funded Dutchess County programs that assist local kids and families in having a happy holiday season, through the generosity of local donors. The donations through this season will fund programs next year that include warm clothing, gift card, and utility bill payment giveaways, and holiday parties.
To donate, visit www.uwdor.org/hhh or mail a check to Holiday Helping Hand, United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, 75 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Checks should be made payable to Holiday Helping Hand.
As of Dec. 23, 245 donations had been made to the 2021-22 Holiday Helping Hand campaign, totaling $23,792.89. That includes 109 donations for $9,104.78 in the last week. They are:
Anonymous, $50
In memory of Tony Buccelli, from Allison and Dwight, $100
In honor of Fiona and Nathan Lawrence-Paine, $100
In memory of Pamela Green, from Jacqueline Bennett, $25
In memory of Rose Sharon Brink, from Christine M. Eagen, $10
Joseph A. Della Pietro, $25
In memory of Vincent Mullen and James O'Neill, from Michael Mullen and Erin O'Neill, $200
Charles and Carol Carnell, $50
In memory of my wife Yvonne-Marie Lawrence, from Calvin Lawrence, $150
Joan and Scott Reifler, $20
Nettie E. Farrier, $50
Anonymous, $20
In memory of our loved ones, from Victor and Ellen Stern, $50
In memory of Buzz VanVlack, Dave Brager, Gloria Crisci, Linda Auchmoody, Chris Pelkey, from the staff at Sabellico Greenhouses-Florist, $200
In memory of Jimmy Burns, Juggie Frye, Gerry Gannon, Butch Hurlihe, Doc Long and Nelson Mc Kenna, from Brian Mackey, $100
Anonymous, $15
Thomas E. Mcnamee, $17.39
Bernard and Shirley Handel Foundation Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, $100
In memory of Brian McGrath, from Ken McGrath, $51.32
Anonymous, $20
Dr. Donald and Christine Stammer, $76.99
Stephen and Cheryl Kerins, $205.31
Anonymous, $102.65
Nancy Bedore, $102.65
Patrick and Theresa O'Neill and family, $100
Laurel Becker, $25.66
Mark deMartine, $50
In loving memory of my dear daughter, Kara Huntzinger, from Sherri Gaines, $50
Theresa and John Brewster, $25
Anonymous, $25
In memory of two Joes, Ruth, Mary and Jeff, from Tony and Barbara Herles, $50
Arlene and Ronald Barresi, $100
In memory of our loving family and friends, from Rudy and Sina Macak, $50
Charles and Roni Stein, $108
Anonymous, $100
In memory of George and Joan Montgomery, from Philip C. Peters, $100
Rita Lominski , $200
Anonymous, $25
In memory of Richard C. Travis, from Sheila Travis, $50
Richard and Carolyn McAleese, $25
In memory of Alden and Dorthy Traver, from Charles Traver, $100
John Flynn, $100
Harry W. Baldwin, $500
In loving memory of my brother Ralph Greene, from Emma Greene Bradley, $50
In memory of Patrick Kennedy, $200
In memory of Louis M. Brosang, from Dennis M. and Barbara Powers, $50
Pat and Jim Waters, $100
Lorraine M. Carbone, $25
Harold Veeder, $50
In memory of our parents Bob and Lorraine Goewey and Bea and Mike Grega, $100
Ron and Mary Jane Von Allmen, $100
In memory of Sister Anna Bernard, $100
William Peckham, $50
In memory of Debbie Meier, $100
In memory of Howard Leroy, $25
Anonymous, $100
In honor of Linda Caporuscio, from Gary Caporuscio, $100
Shirley Ranieri, $50
Anonymous, $100
Diane and Joe Fiscina, $100
Denise and Stephen Fiore, $25
Anonymous, $100
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Urbanak, $50
In memory of Donald R. Scofield, from Lorraine and Cindy Scofield, $100
In memory of Patrice Abruzzo, $25
In memory of Good Guy Pumpkin, from Patricia Koch, $25
In memory of Margaret Fittes, from Elfriede Tillman, $50
In memory of Leona Bodzas, from Elfriede Tillman, $50
Anonymous, $300
Phyllis and Edgar Stamy, $25
In loving memory of our parents, from Tim and Ann Smith, $100
Virginia Marcus, $25
Tom Sedgwick and Michael Levine, $100
In memory of Joan Marie Kerr, from Michael Caruso, $50
Barbara and Glenn Neumann, $75
In memory of my wife Jo-Anne Scaccia, from Camillo Scaccia, $100
Michael Hogan and Joan Magnuson, $100
In memory Joe Resta, Love Renie, $70
Anonymous, $50
In memory of Sandy Vana and Kendal, from Llmar Vana, $100
Richard and Shirley Granda, $100
Remo and Marcia Valdatta, $50
In memory of Ken and Dot Robertson, Arthur and Ada Chartier, and Rev. Richard Chartier, from Grace Chartier, $75
In memory of Kimberly Doughty Abrams, from Anonymous, $150
In memory of Merion Becker, from Frederick Wander, $102.65
Tom Sedgwick, $100
John Flynn, $100
Frank Lasko, $100
Thomas Morris, $153.98
Anonymous, $100
In memory of Helen and Raymond Hawk, from John P. Hawk, $25
Virginia E. Fishwick, $20
In memory of MiMi, from Matthew Bois, $25
Anonymous, $100
John and Marsha Moy, $130
Jeanne B. Opdycke, $100
In memory of Tom and Andy Short, $50
In memory of my husband, Ed Nadeau, from Jackie Nadequ, $50
Anonymous, $20.53
In the name of Michael Shanny, $50
In memory of Julia Marcus, from Julie and Ron Linton, $500
In memory of our parents Bob and Ann Temple and Livio and Louisa Burgazzoli, from Vincent and Evana Scianna, $50
Clay and Lorraine Hughes, $100
The Ed Boone family, $60
Anonymous, $20
Diane and Kevin Coulombe, $25
In memory of Harry W. Fennell, from Mary Ann Fennell, $25
Anonymous, $50
Rosemary Morris, $25
Anonymous, $102.65
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Fostering Hope Together's Breakfast with Santa aided families
