Gifts • Toys • Family Support • Local & National Programs
START EARLY Most of the Christmas programs do not duplicate services. Household can turn to only one agency at a time, whether that is the Salvation Army or some other charity. Call an organization to apply early, well before the holiday season begins.
LOCAL / HILLTOWNS | HAMPDEN COUNTY | NATIONAL |
Hilltown Holiday Help Sidney Smith Toy Fund | Salvation Army Toy for Joy | Toys for Tots USPS Operation Santa |
Hilltown Holiday Help HILLTOWN FAMILIES
For families in need: Wish lists will be available through Hilltown Community Health Centers’ Community Programs staff at 413-667-2203 ext. 322, at local schools and at the Hilltown Community Center located at 9 Russell Rd in Huntington (on the front porch) from Monday, November 2nd through Monday, November 30th. Families with children from newborns through the age of 12, may be eligible. Please bring proof of residency and birth certificates or social security cards for children.
For donors: Please arrange for a drop off time with staff or send monetary donations to the Attention of Kim Savery c/o HCHC Finance office at 58 Old North Rd, Worthington MA 01098, with checks made out to HCHC and Holiday Help in the memo or donate online by clicking this link.
If you are interested in donating or have questions, please contact Kim Savery at 413-685-3500, ksavery@hchcweb.org or Kate McKenney at 413-299-5056, kmckenney@hchcweb.org.
Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund HAMPSHIRE + SELECT TOWNS
Named after a former business manager at the Gazette, the Toy Fund began in 1933 to help families in need during the Depression. Today, the fund distributes vouchers worth $65 to families for each child from age 1 to 14. Eligible families must live in any Hampshire County community except Ware, in the southern Franklin County towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately, Shutesbury, and Leverett, and in Holyoke in Hampden County. The Bridge Family Resource Center at 101 University Drive in Amherst verifies families’ eligibility and the Gazette covers costs associated with the drive, freeing all donations to fund the vouchers, which can be used through Dec. 31. Applications are now being accepted with a deadline of November 15, 2026.
Easthampton Community Center Toy Program EASTHAMPTON / AREA TOWNS
Donated toys and stocking stuffers from the Easthampton Whobalation Celebration at Millside are distributed by the Easthampton Community Center to those who have registered with them. The Center provides toys for multiple area towns. Families can register with Easthampton Community Center. For more information, call 413-527-5240
Giving Back Together GREENFIELD
Organizers will set up an Amazon wish list for families looking to receive toys, distribution will be conducted on a date in December at 331 Silver St. in Greenfield. First come first serve. Organizers ask that beneficiaries bring a birth certificate, or any proof of their child’s and their own identification.
https://linktr.ee/givingbacktogether
For more information, email givingbkingreenfield@yahoo.com or visit the Giving Back Together Toy Drive’s Facebook page.
Catholic Charities of Springfield REGIONAL
Contact Catholic Charities directly to ask what holiday assistance is available for 2026.
Phone: 413-452-0606
Email: catholiccharities@diospringfield.org https://ccawmass.org/
Salvation Army Angel Tree CHILDREN & OLDER ADULTS
Salvation Army centers near you provide Christmas help to low-income families, with a focus on households with children and the elderly. There is never a cost to apply for a resource, and the help is provided for free to clients.
Complete the prequalification survey at www.saangeltree.org or call your local center
Springfield: 285 Liberty St • 413-785-1921
Westfield: 223 E Main St • 413-562-0905
Holyoke: 271 Appleton St • 413-532-6312
Springfield: 840 Boston Rd • 413-782-3012
Hadley: 310 Russell St • 413-582-0403
Greenfield: 72 Chapman St • 413-773-3154 Angel Tree
Toy for Joy – Springfield WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
The Salvation Army remains on the frontlines of need providing love beyond the holiday season. Throughout the year,
we provide assistance to struggling families across Western Massachusetts. Beyond providing Christmas gifts, our social services teams are helping families put food on the table, pay rent and utility bills, and keep a roof over their head.
At The Salvation Army, we see how families are still experiencing the ongoing impacts of inflation. If you and your family are in need of assistance, please reach out to your local Corps:
Phone: 413-733-1518
For other year-round needs, use the Salvation Army location finder to connect with a local Corps. https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/location-finder/
Marine Toys for Tots NATIONAL / LOCAL CHAPTERS
Join the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in providing less-fortunate children with direct access to resources that will enhance their ability to read and to communicate effectively.
https://www.toysfortots.org/support-us/
To request a toy, you must submit your application with the local Toys for Tots Chapter that supports your area. Use the link below to Find Your Local Chapter and Apply Today!
USPS Operation Santa® 2026 DATES CONFIRMED
For over 100 years, Operation Santa allows kids from all over the United States to write letters for Santa sharing their Christmas wishes.
According to Operation Santa, anyone living in the United States can write a letter regardless of age, income, or religion. You can write to Santa starting Sept 14 and letters must be postmarked by Dec. 5 to be eligible for adoption. Families should write a letter with their gift wishes, addressed to
Mail to: Santa Claus 123 Elf Road
North Pole, 88888
Include a full return address and proper First-Class Mail postage.
2026 adopter registration is open now; letter adoption begins Nov. 16; last adoption day is Dec. 12. USPS Operation Santa
Be an Elf WORKS WITH OPERATION SANTA
Be an Elf is an organization that partners with USPS Operation Santa to help needy kids get toys for Christmas. Volunteers can adopt a letter written to Santa online and buy gifts for that family.
What is the deadline to sign up for free toys from Be an Elf?
Be an Elf recommends mailing your letter before Thanksgiving for a better chance to be adopted, but participants have until December 17th to do so.
How do I apply for toys from Be an Elf?
If there are no worries about money in your family, address your letter to Santa Claus, North Pole, and mail it soon, so he can deliver his gifts to you on Christmas Eve. But if you think your parents are struggling with money, use this address: Santa, 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888 and the volunteers will see it.
To be considered for posting at the USPS® website, your family’s letters must be mailed with real stamps between September 18th and December 9th to the address below. If you write after December 9th, Santa will get your letter, but it won’t be seen by volunteers.
Put a real stamp on your letter, or it will be returned to you. Every year Be An Elf gets letters from disappointed families whose letters were returned to them. They thought they didn’t have to add postage, and that was a mistake.
Lions Clubs LOCAL CLUBS
The Lions Club work with businesses in the community to collect new, unwrapped Christmas toys. Once they are collected, volunteers will sort them based on age and gender. There will then be distribution points set up in your local community, and the Lions Club will also advertise their toys for kids’ programs. The process will include how to apply as well as pick up Christmas gifts.
Lions Club Christmas help - Free meals, Xmas toy and food programs
Reddit Santa’s Little Helpers ONLINE COMMUNITY
This online community of over 37,000 members come together every holiday season to help families in need. Through Amazon wish lists, strangers become Santa’s helper, purchasing gifts for children whose families at struggling financially.
Who Qualifies:
One account per household. Must be the head of household, parent or legal guardian. Can only request up to 3 years in a row. Wish lists: $75 per child (in households of 4 or fewer children) or $50 per child (in households with 5+ children)
How to Apply:
Register on their website starting November 4th. Provide proof of address and supporting documents. Read all the rules before posting. Register early for best results
GATHER Photo ID • proof of address/residency • child age/identity documents if required • contact information • wish list | CONFIRM 2026 application window • geographic eligibility • age limits
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Programs can fill quickly, requirements can change, and submitting an application or letter does not always guarantee assistance. Applying early and keeping backup options is recommended. If a program asks for sensitive personal information, verify that you are using the organization’s official contact or website before submitting it.