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Children & Families
Holiday Gifts, Lodging & Meals
Sections:
Thanksgiving
Holiday Lodging
Holiday Gifts
Holiday Assitance list - 2025 (Thanksgiving meals and Holiday Gifts) - thanks to Kelly Flannery!
ABCD
Many locations throughout ABCD’s network of neighborhood sites offer holiday meal assistance in the form of food baskets, turkeys, and food supplies that low-income families need to cook and serve holiday meals in their homes.
Holiday Meal services are usually available during the Thanksgiving season and in December. If your family meets Boston residency and income guidelines, you are welcome to ABCD holiday meal assistance. Contact your nearest ABCD neighborhood site for full eligibility details.
Salvation Army
Every November, The Salvation Army provides Thanksgiving food baskets to individuals and families in need, which include traditional items: a turkey, stuffing, gravy and a roasting pan.
Eligibility: must have at least one child in household
BOSTON Thanksgiving Distribution - Boston Only. If you are in need of assistance in another Massachusetts community - find the location nearest you.
Pre-Registration: Usually begins mid-October - while supplies last!
Distribution: on the distribution date you will need to bring in the following information:
- Picture ID for all the adults living in the household
- Current utility bill (home phone, gas, electric, cable and water) – verifies where you live
Quantities are limited and registration is on a first come, first served basis.
PLEASE NOTE: REGISTRATION and pickup location is based upon your zip code.
Qualifying families are also invited to pre-register for Christmas Assistance.
For more information see http://massachusetts.salvationarmy.org/MA/Thanksgiving
Local Food Pantries
Many food pantries also offer Thanksgiving turkeys or food baskets for needy families. Families should apply as soon as possible. Contact Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline to find a local food pantry. FoodSource Hotline: 800-645-8333, TTY 1-800-377-1292, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Holiday Lodging
The Sheraton Commander Hotel - 2019 Free Lodging offer
Free lodging (near Harvard Square) for families traveling 50 miles or more during the holidays to visit a hospitalized relative.
Offer is for one complementary room per family for a maximum of 3 nights.
Parking is NOT included and is the responsibility of the guest, as are any incidentals.
Valid on the nights of December 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, 2019 (3 night maximum).
Reservations must be made in advance and are subject to availability.
Instructions
- Offer letter with instructions
- Authorization for Release of PHI
- We must have a signed Authorization for Release of PHI before we can submit the form directly to the hotel. You may keep release in your own records or send it to Ellen Forman (FH6) to keep on file.
- Form- must be signed by our staff
- The hotel requests that the referral come from the social worker.
- Reservations must be made in advance.
- Please fill out the form and fax or email as instructed. IF you will be giving the form to the family to give at check-in you must call in advance to make reservations. Contact information will vary by date- see the bottom of the form.
- Please also e-mail Ellen Forman (or call x6-5807) to let us know you have used the program so we can thank the Sheraton appropriately.
Holiday Gifts
Note: Deadlines for most gift programs are in early to mid-December at the latest, many are earlier. (Dept of Clinical SW staff: contact your CRC resource specialist for other options not listed here.)
Holiday Assitance list - 2024 (Thanksgiving meals and Holiday Gifts) - thanks to Kelly Flannery!
Greater Boston
- Globe Santa
The Boston Globe provides gifts for children who come from needy families in the Greater Boston area, who would otherwise not be able to afford holiday gifts.
- Christmas in the City
Christmas in the City provides each child living in a shelter with the gift that child has selected, wrapped with a card personalizing it to the child. The gift is presented to each child at party which is "far beyond their wildest dreams." After being greeted at the door by favorite cartoon characters, the children are lavished with a catered lunch, a stage show, petting zoo, hands on exhibits from local museums, carnival rides, clowns, athletes from local pro teams, and visits with Santa. Hair dressers, barbers and estheticians pamper both moms and kids and dentists clean teeth.
Homeless families can self-refer by calling starting the first week of December. Call 617-651-2482 or email: wishlist@christmasinthecity.org.
For more information: http://www.christmasinthecity.org/
- Salvation Army
Divisional Headquarters:
147 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116
Main Phone Number: 617-542-5420
- The East End House
Offers a holiday toy drive for Cambridge and Somerville residents only. The Toy Drive provides toys for children from families who would otherwise have a difficult time purchasing toys for the holidays. The Adopt-a-Family program gives donors a wish list from each family member so the entire family can have a nice holiday. For information on donating or filling out an application to receive holiday assistance, please contact Camille Platt at camille@eastendhouse.org
105 Spring Street
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-876-4444
http://www.eastendhouse.org
- Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)
ABCD provides a holiday toy drive for active clients who participate in programs at the agency. To become a client, you can visit the office and complete an application with a case manager. ABCD provides services such as case management, application assistance, fuel assistance, tax assistance, and job readiness workshops. To apply for the holiday toy program, you must complete an application and provide a photo ID, proof of income, proof of household membership, and proof of address. You must also attend a workshop in order to receive toys. ABCD gives out whatever is available based on the child’s gender and age.
To find the neighborhood site closest to you, see this page:
https://bostonabcd.org/#locations
- Secret Santa
This is through the Post Office, please call 617-654-5738 before sending a letter to make sure that they are still accepting.
Send letters to Secret Santa:
25 Dorchester Avenue,
Boston, MA 02205
or fax to 617-654-5646
Include a referral from member of the Clergy or Social Worker. Some letters will be chosen.
- Toys for Tots
Other Areas
(Selected listings; see detailed list at http://mass211.org/find-help/, search "Holiday Gift Distribution")
- Cape Cod Times Needy Fund
Mission is to provide financial assistance to Cape Cod residents for basic human needs. They have a gift certificate program for Christmas.
P.O. Box 804, Hyannis, MA 02601
508-778-5661 or 800-422-1446
Email: info@needyfund.org
www.needyfund.org
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Essex County- Essex County Hunger Relief
Lists all soup kitchens and food pantries located in Essex County Massachusetts.
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Citizens for Citizens
Operation Christmas coordinates the collection and dispensation of toys, gifts and food for children in greater Fall River and Taunton. Each child receives 2 gifts plus stocking stuffings, each family gets a family gift.
Hats and mittens provided by retired senior volunteers.
508-679-0041
http://cfcinc.org/
- Gifts of Hope - Sharon MA
Sponsored by the Sharon Rotary Club and The Sharon Advocate
The Town of Sharon offers help to individuals and families, both elders and non-elders, by providing a social worker at the Council on Aging in the Sharon Adult Center (Community Center).
Sharon Adult Center & Council on Aging
781-784-8000
219 Massapoag Avenue, Sharon, MA 02067
- Project Uplift
Serves low-income families from Greater Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Residents from the following towns only may apply: Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, Essex, and Manchester-by-the-Sea. They cannot ship gifts.
http://actioninc.org/projectuplift.html
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- My Brother’s Keeper
My Brother's Keeper provides Christmas presents to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them. Assistance is provided by delivery only (no pick-ups at the facility) and they serve the Boston area south to Fall River and Cape Cod. All requests are processed by phone September through December: 508-238-2562 (the line is very busy because they serve families from so many communities). My Brother’s Keeper only accepts requests directly from parents in need—second-hand requests from family, friends, or advocates will not be accepted. You will need to provide the names, birthdays, clothing size, and gift ideas for each child (specific gifts are not guaranteed). High-end electronic items like iPods, cell phones, or game systems cannot be acquired. Gifts are delivered to homes between December 1 and December 24; they will contact you to schedule a delivery appointment. See this page for more information: http://www.mybrotherskeeper.org/request-assistance/christmas-assistance/ or call 508-238-2562.
- Toys for Tots- in other states: www.toysfortots.org
- Toys for Joy
Provides gifts to needy children in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin
counties. Sponsored by the Salvation Army and The Republican newspaper. It is funded through the generosity of newspaper readers.
For more information call the Salvation Army at 413-733-1518.
For additional resources see New England Index’s Holiday Assistance Resource Fact Sheet.
Gifts for Existing Clients Only
Rev 12/18 |
