History of the Holiday Drive

The Spirit of Giving Holiday Drive provides gifts of clothing and toys to make the winter holidays a special time for Rhode Island’s most vulnerable families.

Our holiday drive began many years ago. Staff members assembled gift baskets with donations for a small number of families. From those roots, our holiday drive has developed into the event that it is today.  We have a family selection process, reviewed and approved wish lists, and a staff of agency members and volunteers.

Children’s Friend is actively involved with every family participating in the holiday drive.  Staff members working directly with clients select a few especially needy families to be part of the holiday drive.  A representative from Children’s Friend matches donors with a family that has the number, age, and gender of children that they would like to sponsor.  If a donor wants to sponsor a family that is experiencing a specific hardship or a specific set of circumstances, we work with them to find a match.

Sponsors shop for gifts from the children’s wish lists and drop off the gifts at our main office in Providence. They may purchase any number of items from the wish list or share the list with others.  Children’s Friend ensures that every donation reaches the intended family. A staff member will personally deliver the gifts directly to the family before the holiday