T&G Santa, Gardner Community Action Committee help Christmas dreams come true for children
GARDNER — To those who gave a little or gave a lot to the Telegram & Gazette Santa Fund this year, please know that you made Christmas dreams come true for about 5,000 local children in need.
The 83-year tradition of T&G Santa turning monetary donations into toys and books for children under the care of support services continues today.
More: Since 1938, T&G Santa donors have given gift of Christmas to kids in need
With the help of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, T&G Santa sends these gifts to many elves in the guise of child and human services providers.
One such elf is Julie Meehan, executive director of the Gardner Community Action Committee at 294 Pleasant St.
The CAC serves the needs of about 250 financially struggling households throughout the Greater Gardner community each month.
“It has been over 15 years that the T&G Santa has made Christmas possible for CAC children and families,” Meehan said. “Last year we provided 400 children with toys. This year we requested 600 gifts total through the T&G Santa for 450 children.”
Tricia’s two girls, ages 10 and 12, were among the children who received those gifts this year. Tricia’s husband works full time while she home-schools their children.
The couple have turned to the Gardner CAC for family support the past four years and have received T&G Santa gifts for their girls in three of those years.
“This makes the holidays a lot easier and is such a blessing to our family,” Tricia said, adding, “The kids are so appreciative of the incredible toys.”
Each year, CAC parents are asked to submit an online application with proof of address, birth records and income. From there, CAC staff pen a wish list to Santa, who dispatches a truckload with time to spare.
“We receive cases and cases of awesome toys,” Meehan said.
The gifts are sorted by age and gender, and parents are escorted through to select two items for each child. The CAC also provides wrapping paper, stockings, and stocking stuffers.
CAC volunteer Terri Hillman has been greeting parents on the toy distribution line for about 10 years.
“I think it’s wonderful of people who donate all these toys,” she said. “In spite of these hard times, people have been generous, and they made a lot of families happy because they would not have been able to afford those toys.”
Hillman said it was very fulfilling to help with the gift distribution this year.
“I leaned over and spoke to quite a few people who had tears in their eyes. So many people were moved. An elderly couple was picking up for their grandchildren and they just looked so poor yet so happy for the gifts,” she said. “People thanked us profusely for all we do or did.”
The Gardner CAC was founded in 1970 as a small food pantry. Today, its services include a food pantry, soup kitchen, fuel assistance, medical transportation and emergency assistance.
It is one of the 11 family service organizations whose helping hands ensured the T&G Santa gifts found proper homes.
The others are Rainbow Child Development Center; the state Department of Mental Health; the Spanish American Center, Catholic Charities; Devereux Therapeutic/Intensive Foster Care; the Devereux School; the Salvation Army branches in Worcester, Fitchburg, and Milford, and Winchendon Community Action Committee.
PREVIOUS TOTAL: $96,827.00
CONTRIBUTIONS IN HONOR OF:
Iron Workers Local 7 Worcester, $1,560.00
Osterman Management, LLC, $1,000.00
Iron Workers District Council of New England L.M.C.T., $500.00
7th Grade Students, Town of Sutton, $452.00
Worcester Arts Magnet School, $447.21
William Walsh, $110.00
Staff & Students of Former Randall School in Auburn; Library Mothers, $100.00
Santa's Helper, $100.00
Santa's Helper, $100.00
"Down to 15", $92.91
Santa's Helper, $75.00
Shirley & Rich Bourke and Carol & Dickie Anderson - Wonderful Neighbors, $50.00
Santa's Helper, $50.00
Robert & Lynn Foster, $50.00
Santa's Helper, $25.00
CONTRIBUTIONS IN MEMORY OF:
Russ & Nancy Rebakas - Love Carol, Buzz and Cindy, $200.00
Sandy Splaine; Gareth and Julie Roberts, $150.00
800,000+ coronavirus victims; Janet L Croshaw, $150.00
Mom, Dad and Aunt Grace Polito, Liseno; Frances, $100.00
Marianne Roach; James Roach, $100.00
My Husband - Reggie Gauthier, Love Beverley, $100.00
Gramma and Grampa Valentino and Kevin Finney; Joan Newman, $100.00
Norma Kitka & Betty LeFort; The Ladies Benevolent Society of Dudley, $100.00
Herb & Agnes Oliva, $50.00
Harry - Stanley - Paul, $50.00
Alphonse & Femmy Matta - Love Diane, $50.00
Dad, Mom and Barbara, $50.00
Fred and Lillian Aramony, $50.00
Merry Christmas Dad, $50.00
Jim & Lorraine Richard, $40.00
Frank & Louise McWey, $25.00
Meaghan Millette, $25.00
My Grandparents: Nunziato & Angelina Cosenza; granddaughter Rene Bastardo, $25.00
Our Parents; Nick & Nancy Ritacco, $20.00
Ray Colonero; Maire Colonero - Wife, $20.00
DAILY TOTAL: $6,167.12
GRAND TOTAL: $102,994.12
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: T&G Santa, Gardner Community Action Committee help Christmas dreams come true
