The mission of Santa’s Porch is to engage with their community on every level, in order to spread love and care to local underserved parents during the holidays, and all through the year. Based in Hopedale, this local toy drive looks to spread holiday cheer for another year.
The toy drive was founded in 2015 by Meg Rivett, Laurie Reynolds, Tracy Johnson, and LeeAnn DiPietropolo, all of whom were members of the Milford Food Pantry for 20 years. Disappointed by the lack of donations coming in from the pantry’s “toy room”, the founding group, along with the help of their friends, bought toys out of their own pocket and brought them to LeeAnn’s front porch. Further donations that year coined the “Santa’s Porch” name, and the movement quickly went from a personal initiative to a local phenomenon.
Since the drive’s inception, the staff expanded into a workforce of sixteen dedicated employees, or “elves” as Meg and Laurie like to call them. Each employee works around the clock, organizing newer collection sites and gathering donations, with the hope that they can help a child experience a Christmas they will never forget. With their hard work, Santa’s Porch is able to help nearly 1,000 kids per year across neighboring towns, according to Rivett.
As of now, the Toy Drive is holding a calendar raffle sale, with every ticket giving recipients 25 chances to win prizes throughout the month of December. Buyers can get a ticket for $10 or three tickets for $20. Further details on payment or raffle information can be found on the toy drive’s Facebook page.
Santa’s Porch is also no stranger to participating in local events. The group will be sponsoring the bus at the Hopedale Winter Stroll, as they help take pictures of children with Santa Claus.
The toy handouts start on December 2nd and conclude on the 23rd, with handouts every Tuesday and Thursday during this timeframe. Additionally, the toy drive’s drop off locations, official Amazon Wishlist, and donation details are available on their website. Further questions should be sent to [email protected].
