T&G Santa: Gifts and love on Pernet's Christmas list

WORCESTER — For Joel Wallen, Christmas is not just about having presents to unwrap in the morning, but also ensuring kids are surrounded by people they love and who love them in return.

As assistant executive director at Pernet Family Health Services on Millbury Street, he is trying to make sure both of those things happen by collecting gift donations for over 1,200 kids, which will help alleviate some holiday pressures for their families.

“There's always going to be some stress and potentially some pain around the holidays,” Wallen said. “Our goal is that we can help reduce some of that and that we can kind of facilitate families feeling connected.”

But the group has a waitlist of families asking for gifts, and he is hoping that they will know by Dec. 16 — the soft deadline they’ve set for donors — whether they’ll be able to accommodate those waitlisted families.

Among those donated gifts already donated, however, are 260 from the T&G Santa Fund.

Now in its 84th year, the T&G Santa Fund and partner United Way of Central Massachusetts turn monetary donations into gifts for children to unwrap on Christmas morning.

“I think it's phenomenal. Kids and families will have a great holiday experience, in part because of this,” Wallen said. “We want a kid to be surrounded by people that they love and that love them, but we also want them to be able to open up a present.”

He said that, because of the T&G Santa Fund, Pernet Family Health Services will be able to hold true to its slogan “Strengthening families,” by ensuring that they help facilitate families feeling connected on Christmas morning.

The organization offers a variety of resources and programs to the Worcester community, including a food pantry, youth programming and parenting classes.

They also offer services, such as youth intervention that helps ensure kids are hitting developmental milestones, a reentry program for incarcerated fathers, and a parenting program — as part of a partnership with the Department of Children and Families — to help parents who are at risk of losing custody of their kids.

But the group also rallies around families during the holidays, providing Thanksgiving meals in November as well as gifts in December, which not only include the T&G Santa Fund toys but gift cards for kids who may be too old for toys, as well as clothing for all kids receiving gifts.

Wallen said that the holiday season has been manageable due to the help the organization has received from volunteers and donors.

“People that are donating, people that are volunteering their time, dedicated staff — that's what's able to make this all happen,” he said.

The group offers opportunities to both volunteer time or intern for the organization, as well as accepts donations.

He said that while he is happy that Pernet is able to offer programs, resources and services to the community, the existence is a “Catch-22” as it means people of need depend on those with resources and goods.

“We've succeeded when Worcester doesn't need a food pantry anymore,” Wallen said. “But until the meantime, I'm glad that we're here and that we're able to meet those needs.”

Since 1938, the T&G Santa Fund has helped ensure community agencies and organizations like Pernet Family Health Services are able to provide thousands of children presents to unwrap Christmas morning.

Pernet Family Health Service is among the 21 organizations acting as T&G Santa’s helpers this year.

The others include: Canterbury Elementary School; Catholic Charities Worcester County and Southbridge; Centro Inc.; the state Department of Mental Health; Devereux Therapeutic Foster Care; Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health; Friendly House; Gardner CAC; The Guild of St. Agnes; Jeremiah’s Inn; Rainbow Child Development Center; Salvation Army of Fitchburg, Greater Milford, and Worcester; Spanish American Center; Worcester Housing Authority; Webster Square Daycare Center; Winchendon CAC and Yes We Care.

The T&G Santa Fund recently surpassed $16,000 in donations. To donate, go to telegram.com/santa.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: T&G Santa Fund lends hand to Worcester's Pernet Family Health Services