Can we discuss Christmas donations and how the USPS screwed me over?
In prior years I recall, a few things
MEND Food Pantry has a list of clients @Christmas - maybe @SAC could advise?, Our Lady of Sorrows has a tree for St Roccos' in Newark - Salvation Army has Gift Angel trees
The saddest one was @Kidlit ( Orange School system) had two families that fell thru the Social Services crack- but due to MOL was able to gather a Christmas for both very last minute!
Bravo to you for doing this!
When I've done this, I never had to go anywhere to get a letter. The letters were always sent to me in the mail ( the # of letters plus preferred age range and gender of recipient were asked for via a form. This was in NYC 10 hrs ago.
Our Lady Of Sorrows also has a Secret Santa Program, where they collect for families in the area who are in need. One of your toys might be just perfect for one of them. Also consider Marine for Tots. My friends son is a Marine and they work hard collecting and giving out these gifts to needy children.
Yes, individuals and companies used to be able to use this service. Because our world has changed greatly, the USPS no longer sends out letters due to security reasons (names and addresses are on the letters. Some contain really personal info that a psycho could use). Now before you pull letters, you have to show ID.
conandrob240 said:
When I've done this, I never had to go anywhere to get a letter. The letters were always sent to me in the mail ( the # of letters plus preferred age range and gender of recipient were asked for via a form. This was in NYC 10 hrs ago.
The Parenting Center collects new toys for families in our community each year
kibbegirl said:
Yes, individuals and companies used to be able to use this service. Because our world has changed greatly, the USPS no longer sends out letters due to security reasons (names and addresses are on the letters. Some contain really personal info that a psycho could use). Now before you pull letters, you have to show ID.
conandrob240 said:
When I've done this, I never had to go anywhere to get a letter. The letters were always sent to me in the mail ( the # of letters plus preferred age range and gender of recipient were asked for via a form. This was in NYC 10 hrs ago.
Got it. Seems they could block or cut out the personal info though and use social services offices to send the packages to. That's how it used to be done.
I have a cute story about this. When we lived in Brooklyn heights, we did this one year. We must have put our name on the return label of the package and I guess we must have done good gifts because the recipient told others about "Santa ----- ( our last name)" The next year we got about 10 letters from kids in that kids' neighborhood. We sent stuff to all of them. It grew each year about 3 or 4 years in, we were getting dozens of letters! It was really funny and cute. It ended when we moved- I guess it was too far out and they never got forwarded.
Wow, I totally forgot about this. I had started doing this when I first started working in NYC (um.....40+ years ago) and I had to trek down to the 8th Avenue post office to read/pick up my letters. I never had them sent to me. I don't know why I stopped doing it and wish I would have remembered it for all the years I commuted via Penn Station! I'll have to find another place now -- so thanks for the reminder!
conandrob240 said:
kibbegirl said:Got it. Seems they could block or cut out the personal info though and use social services offices to send the packages to. That's how it used to be done.
Yes, individuals and companies used to be able to use this service. Because our world has changed greatly, the USPS no longer sends out letters due to security reasons (names and addresses are on the letters. Some contain really personal info that a psycho could use). Now before you pull letters, you have to show ID.
conandrob240 said:
When I've done this, I never had to go anywhere to get a letter. The letters were always sent to me in the mail ( the # of letters plus preferred age range and gender of recipient were asked for via a form. This was in NYC 10 hrs ago.
I have a cute story about this. When we lived in Brooklyn heights, we did this one year. We must have put our name on the return label of the package and I guess we must have done good gifts because the recipient told others about "Santa ----- ( our last name)" The next year we got about 10 letters from kids in that kids' neighborhood. We sent stuff to all of them. It grew each year about 3 or 4 years in, we were getting dozens of letters! It was really funny and cute. It ended when we moved- I guess it was too far out and they never got forwarded.
When I picked letters, the addresses were never blocked. We sent all gifts directly to the address on the letter.
LOL! I had forgotten about how the letters were passed along. Mr. Kibbegirl and I had that happen to us. I forgot about that. It was like they passed on our address to all in the kids in their neighborhood. We couldn't supply everyone with toys but we did our best. The thing that annoyed me wasn't that the kids passed on the info but the parents who wrote to us asking for outlandish items such as ski boots, Playstations, Knicks tickets, $200 sneakers, etc. Really crazy stuff.
@conandrob240 - you brought back so many memories regarding the kids' letters being passed on.
A few months ago, I was shopping online for my niece at Forever21 and when I went to check out, I saw one of the addresses of the little girls we sent gifts to in the Bronx. I still see a few when I'm on Amazon and Walmart. I never deleted them. I hope that they are happy and safe.
yes, kibbegirl! Now I remember why it got really annoying! Lavish gifts started being requested from adults! That got crazy!
Maybe I used to do it through social services and not USPS? I never picked up a letter and the kids private info was always blocked out. We'd send to a child services local office who'd then pass along packages.
The Parenting Center collects holiday gift donations for children in the SOMAP school district. You don't get a particular child hoping for a particular item, you can just choose a gift for a child up to 16 years of age and drop it to the Parenting Center office located in the Board of Education building on Academy St...next to the high school. The local schools also have drop boxes if going to the BOE is not convenient for you. 
I love knowing that the donations go to families in the district who may be going through a difficult time and might otherwise not been able to provide their children with gifts.
That's great too but there was something extra special about having that child's (or family's) letter in your hands and getting to know them that way. Shopping for them under the SS program was (is) really special. I can understand why kibbegirl is disappointed.
Here is the Parenting Center's info: http://www.theparentingcenter.info/
For more information, call 973 762-5600, ext. 1850
Actually received the annual Parenting Center request for donations letter the other day. We give yearly and I guess we're always on the list. I'll send them a monetary donation and also drop off a gift. What's popular with boys and girls (especially girls - I have boys). I really would like to skew a bit older as I think the older kids may get overlooked.
Early last November, planned to donate Secret Santa toys via the USPS. The main post office in NYC had placed an ad asking for donations and even listed several post office's that would be accepting toys. When I worked in the city, the main post office was the only one that managed Secret Santa. Mr. K and I donated yearly. I still have some of the letters I chose at random from some of the kids and/or their parents asking for assistance. It's heartbreaking. Really tough stuff to read when you're sitting in your nice warm home sans roaches and steel doors.
The list included the main Newark post office where one could pull up to 3 letters. I drive down, circle 20 minutes to find parking and enter. The security guard had no clue what I was talking about. He called in 2 official USPS employees who also had no clue of what I was talking about. I had the ad from the newspaper with me, still, crickets. One of the employees told me that the division that handles Secret Santa didn't even tell them that Newark would be participating. He pointed to a tall, decorated box being used to drop off gifts. Um, no.
I would like a list of nearby reputable churches, family shelters, etc. who actively seek toys, clothing's, new blankets, etc., donations for Christmas.
Thanks so very much.