seasonal

Interfaith Provides Holiday Gifts for 1,000 Children

Hundreds of South Shore children in need opened gifts this holiday season thanks to the generosity of Interfaith’s community of supporters. A record number of families came to us this fall seeking holiday assistance through our Help for the Holidays program.

“We want to make sure that everyone in our community has the food and essential items that they need,” said Rick Doane, executive director of Interfaith. “We also want to make sure that children from those struggling households don’t miss out on the joys of childhood.”

Interfaith Social Services volunteer Christin Eigenmann, of Hingham, holds up a couple of bags of gifts that were donated to the organization’s Help for the Holidays program. Thanks to generous community donors, Interfaith was able to provide more than 6,000 gifts to 1,000 South Shore children in need this holiday season. Credit – Interfaith Social Services Courtesy Photo
Interfaith Social Services volunteer Christin Eigenmann, of Hingham, holds up a couple of bags of gifts that were donated to the organization’s Help for the Holidays program. Thanks to generous community donors, Interfaith was able to provide more than 6,000 gifts to 1,000 South Shore children in need this holiday season. Credit – Interfaith Social Services Courtesy Photo

Interfaith’s seasonal initiatives provide school supplies, Halloween costumes, Bunny Baskets, holiday gifts and more to client families served by the organization’s food pantry. This year, Interfaith’s Help for the Holidays gift program provided more than 6,000 gifts to 1,000 children in need.

“This is only possible because of the incredible generosity of our community,” said Doane. “More people than ever donated and supported our clients this holiday season. It was so heartwarming to witness such a display of compassion and charity.”

More than 400 individuals from the community signed up to sponsor Interfaith’s client families this season, another record number for the agency. In addition, more than 25 local businesses, houses of worship and other organizations signed up to conduct toy drives or host “Giving Trees” at their places of business.

More than 400 South Shore individuals and 25 businesses and organizations signed up to sponsor families through Interfaith Social Services Help for the Holidays program, including this sister and brother pair who dropped off gifts to Interfaith in December.  Credit – Interfaith Social Services Courtesy Photo
More than 400 South Shore individuals and 25 businesses and organizations signed up to sponsor families through Interfaith Social Services Help for the Holidays program, including this sister and brother pair who dropped off gifts to Interfaith in December.  Credit – Interfaith Social Services Courtesy Photo

We would like to thank the following groups for their participation: Adams Shore Association, Ahold Delhaize USA/Stop & Shop, Beth Israel Deaconess – Milton, CB Realty Hingham, Cohasset Sports Complex, D’Allessandro Corp., Emma Lisa’s Breakfast & Lunch, Faith Lutheran Church Quincy, First Congregational Church of Squantum, First Presbyterian Church Quincy, First Spiritual Church of Quincy, The Goddard School (Dedham & Quincy), Houghs Neck Congregational Church, J. Calnan & Associates, Living Hope Foursquare Church, Realtor Nicole Vermillion, Orangetheory Hingham, Paycom, Quincy Point Congregational Church, The Southeast Massachusetts’ Chapter of The New England Mountain Bike Association, Topco, Urban Beauty Lounge, The Village School Milton, WellSense Health Plan, Wicked Loft Cafe and Withum.

Doane said many social service agencies in Massachusetts saw an increase in need this season.

“This year especially has been difficult for many local families, causing them to reach out in greater numbers to food pantries,” said Doane. “In 2023, Interfaith’s food pantry was serving about 1,300 households from Quincy and surrounding towns each month. In 2024, we averaged about 1,600 families each month. We’ve only been able to keep up with this increase because our community of supporters has rallied by increasing financial donations and coming in to volunteer with our programs.”

Interfaith Social Services’ Assistant Food Pantry Manager Leslie Wittmann, who manages the organization’s seasonal programs, echoed those sentiments.

“Donors were exceptionally generous this year,” said Wittmann. “We’re also incredibly fortunate to have a team of amazing volunteers who bend over backwards to make sure that every single child received items that were on their wish list.”