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MASON-RICE'S ANNUAL GIFT OF GIVING
Please join the Mason-Rice community's tradition of gift-giving for children in need.
CHILDREN'S NAMES AND WISHLISTS WILL BE POSTED IN THE MASON-RICE LOBBY STARTING THE SECOND WEEK OF NOVEMBER. Look for more new in NOTES. Download FLYER and GIFT TAGS.
WHY GIVE?
It makes a difference in the lives of so many children. Imagine a child getting no gifts at the holidays. The kids on our lists have very little and will likely be receiving nothing at all without our help. Your gifts make their holidays very special.
It is a great experience for Mason-Rice kids. Many of ourchildren have a lot and will likely be receiving even more presents soon. Having the specific wishlist of another child helps our kids focus on others and makes Gift of Giving a really meaningful experience for your whole family. Here are some kid testimonials capturing what Gift of Giving means to them:
- "I like picturing the child's face when he opens the gift!"
- "I like buying stuff that someone really wants but does not think they will get."
- "I like the feeling I get when I spend my own money on someone else who needs it more.”
WHO ARE WE GIVING TO?
Gift of Giving supports three organizations:
- Bromley-Heath Housing Development. This is our 14th year supporting Boston’s largest public housing development.
- Department of Children and Families. This is oursecond year sponsoring this organization. Most of these children have been removed from their families due to abuse or neglect and they are now living in foster homes or in shelters.
- The Child Witness to Violence Project (CWVP). This incredible organization offers counseling and advocacy to children who have witnessed violence, both domestic and in the community.
HOW DO I GIVE?
Stop by the Mason-Rice lobby starting on Wednesday, November 16, and select a mitten with a child’s information and wishlist on it. You can choose one child or take as many names as you like. The average expenditure has usually been about $50-$80 per child but all gift giving is appreciated.
- If you don't frequent the lobby, contact Maureen or Kristin and we will sign you up.
- If you want to participate but don’t have time, pleasedonate money and we will shop for you. Email us to coordinate your donation.
- If you aren’t ready to sign up for one child but want to participate, you can ask a friend if his/her family wants to partner with your family to “share” a child. Sometimes this works well when a child would like a more expensive gift.
In addition, we welcome any new miscellaneous items including coats, games, building blocks, cars, trucks, and basic art supplies such as paints, markers, pads of paper, pastels, scissors, and clay. You can place those items as well as any other miscellaneous new gifts into the large gift box in the lobby. All will be matched to an appropriate child.
GIFT OF GIVING DETAILED CHECKLIST
If you decide to give, here is a checklist to guide you through the process:
Select a child, or children, from the lists on the Mason-Rice lobby bulletin board. Some people like to take an entire family to keep the number and types of gifts consistent. You can also partner with other families to buy similar items for twins or buy larger gifts for one child.
Sign the list and take a mitten. After you have selected your recipient(s), write your name and telephone number in the space provided on the poster that coincides with the information about the child you are giving to. Each child’s information will be printed on a mitten that you should take with you.
Gift tags. Take a sheet of gift tags to fill out and tape on to each gift. (Each individual gift needs a tag.)
Purchase gifts. If possible, please try to give what hasbeen requested on the wishlist, particularly if the child is asking for a coat and/or boots. There is no rule abouthow much to spend – and you do not have to buy every gift requested. In general families spend between $50-$80 per child. Remember to purchase NEW gifts. If there is only one or two items on your child's list, find other age-appropriate items such as books, clothing,toys, games, crafts, puzzles, jewelry, and sports-related items. For older children, gift cards are great -- for movies, books, music, sports stores, or to places like museums or sports arenas. Gloves, scarves, earmuffs and other wintry accessories are also appreciated.
Wrap (if needed). If you’ve selected a child/ren from Bromley Heath or the Department of Children and Families, please wrap your gifts in festive paper. If you’ve selected a child/ren from the Child Witness to Violence Project (green tag), please leave the gifts unwrapped.
Tag and bag. Tagging and identifying the gifts is really important. Please use the tags provided at the sign up area or click the link to the gift tags in the Gift of Giving section on Masonrice.org. Please make sure each gift has a label on the outside of it with the child's identifying information. Also, the gifts for each child should be put into one shopping/large gift bag with the child's information clearly labeled on the bag. These steps are crucial to ensuring that every child’s gifts make it to that individual.
Deliver your gifts to Kristin Holson's house, 66 Forest Street, Newton Highlands. The deadline is Sunday, December 11. You may drop gifts off anytime before then. Either give the gifts to Kristin or leave them on the enclosed porch (side entrance).
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