This Week's Mission Moment
The Holiday Assistance Program at the South Shore YMCA is nothing short of extraordinary. Being a part of this event is so humbling and such a gift.
This year, we moved our Y’s “North Pole” center of operations from an offsite location to our Hale Family YMCA field house so that more people could experience the magic firsthand. For 15 days, donated gifts of toys, clothes, coats, bikes, and toiletries were dropped off by donors and sorted by volunteers to fulfill the wish lists of nearly 900 local children.
All this magic would not be possible without the hundreds of donors and volunteers who make it happen. In 2022, our donors adopted 200 families and volunteers logged in nearly 200 hours of their time. These individual donors and teams of employees from local businesses went above and beyond, taking personal time to go holiday shopping to ensure each family’s wish lists were complete.
“When you walk into a room and everyone there has such great enthusiasm for what they are doing, you know you’re in the right place,” shared Frances, one of our volunteers. “That is the joy of volunteering at the holidays.”
Meditech employees take adopting families to the next level, delivering gifts to homes personally with the help of the Quincy Police Department. It is a true picture of Santa’s helpers in their sleighs (cars) led by Rudolph (flashing lights), winding through neighborhood streets to drop off presents. “The opportunity to assist families and children in our own community is so powerful - knowing that we're making a difference in people's lives and providing holiday magic for kids is what brings me and hundreds of my co-workers, back, year after year,” shared Wendy, who has volunteered and collected gifts for years along with family and her team at Meditech.
The most rewarding part of this program is the love and gratitude from participating families. As volunteer Kerry Kiley O’Toole said perfectly, “knowing we are warming the hearts of children and hardworking parents gave me joy and reminds us about the true spirit of the Holidays.”
Each year, we receive dozens of “thank you” cards and letters from parents and children, showing us just how much we can strengthen our community when we work together. Here is a sample of what they share:
- Thank you so much for making this holiday a great one. My children and I are blessed to be a part of the YMCA and ever so gracious to have received the toys and clothes requested. Thanks to all the angel donors and volunteers that spent countless hours organizing and delivering.
- Thank you so much for all the lovely gifts for my son for Christmas. This truly means so much and is such a help for our family during the holidays. Money is often tight during this time and this program allows us to give our son an amazing Christmas. We will be forever thankful and grateful for this program and for all the amazing people that help to make this program a reality.
- My family and I are so grateful for your help this holiday season. We were overwhelmed and surprised by all the gifts we received. I want to thank every family who participated in making this all possible. I know other families share the same feeling as us. The work you are doing is wonderful! Thank you again so much!
- Thank you for your continuous hard work. It is very meaningful and valuable for every family to come to happiness.
The South Shore Y feels honored to work together with the community to provide this opportunity. We are truly blessed to be at the center of a community that comes together not only for the holidays but all year to help those that need. To view these notes of thanks and children’s artwork for yourself, visit our website or watch the video below.