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If you're interested in spreading some holiday cheer to a needy child, consider heading to the James Farley Post Office and picking up a letter to Santa from Operation Santa Claus. The U.S. Postal Service collects letters to Santa sent from children and distributes them to people willing to be helper elves (previously, volunteer postal workers would answer the letters themselves).
For instance the AP reports on one letter, "An 8-year-old Bronx boy named Edgar says he waited, but Santa never showed up last year. His letter says his dad doesn't make enough money to buy things for the family. He says he wants coats, clothes and shoes so he and his brother can go to school during the winter."
Previously, you could call the USPS for letter, but the USPS has now made things a little more stringent (for legal reasons), it's best to stop by the post office on 8th Avenue between West 31nd and 33rd Streets in Manhattan. Operation Santa times, when you can read and select letters, are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; not open on Sunday. Or you can call the USPS to find out if a post office near you is participating--check here.
Photograph from the Staten Island Advance
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satan will hook you up with some threads - you gotta give him something in exchange, but nothin's free, right?
My little 9 yr.old grand Niece said she "wants a
an Iphone".
I think i will ask her to write a" Santa"in NYC.
I try to pick out the kids who ask for practical items like coats, towels, shoes, blankets, diapers for little siblings, etc. --and get those items (or as much as I can) plus add a toy. Those are the kids that need a little holiday spirit.
I once got a girl who asked for Nintendo DS. I didn't get her that, but I did get her a Dora the Explorer toy, plus some sneakers.
Jen C. is such a good girl
NYCares still needs people too:
The holiday season is quickly approaching, but 4,600 of the children and teens who wrote letters this year requesting a gift for the holidays still need volunteers to purchase gifts for them.
Please share your goodwill and register as a Winter Wish Maker by December 5 to help ensure every gift request is answered.
http://www.nycares.org/winterwishes/
Thanks, theevilone.
We did this as a group at my office a few years ago. We selected a letter in which an 8 year old boy needed a new bed because his had broken and he had to share a bed with his 11 year old brother in a room with his 2 year old sister. We found his family in the phone book, confirmed his address and had a new mattress and bedframe delivered from Sleepy's a few days before Christmas. We also got him and his siblings lots of warm clothes.
There are lots of kids out there who don't get much of a Christmas or even have the things they need to get to school every day in the cold. It's really nice to help them out this time of year.
do you have to buy gifts or can you just answer letterS?
i know that's ghetto of me, but i'd be happy to write some sweet letters of gooey goodness, i just can't be supplying iphones and wii's.
maybe i could write letters to those crazy kids and leave the shopping to people who've already paid their rent?
seriously, anyone know?
i mean write the letters to the kids who ask for the crazy stuff
@ab bklyn--that is amazing and inspiring.
@mxungu--I'm not sure, but I suspect the letters are from kids who want gifts (the letters being to Santa and all). Maybe you can go to the post office to read letters and see? And perhaps you can pick a child who isn't asking for expensive gadgets and is asking for simple things.
I do Winter Wishes through NY Cares...they screen the people and I believe get the letters from agencies so you know the children are in need.
I just looked at the NY Cares list, they have 4,600 letters left if anyone has an extra $20 or so to spend this holiday.
This is the 2nd year I'm doing this through my company, and I've seen hundreds of letters come through. The truth is, maybe 50% of them are truly heartbreaking and genuine - Little kids with general requests asking for warm jackets, socks and school supplies; Single mothers asking for a high chair and adding that they want nothing for themselves, just a place for their baby to eat. These are the letters I choose, as I know they are in need and will be truly grateful.
Then, there are the others. 17 year old kids with a list of what are practically demands: I want an iPhone, Timberlands (SIZE 11) and a Wii with extra controllers. Ummmm, yeah. I'd LOVE a Wii, too - but I can't even afford it. This is an outreach program for people in need. If you are in need, I would think you'd have other priorities before considering an iPhone a necessity.
So, like Smitty said, if you do have even an extra $20 to spend at Old Navy for some gloves and a hat, or crayons and toy cars at Duane Reade, try to pick up a letter. Just think about the smile you can put on a little kid's face.