For the second consecutive year, Taylor Swift donated to the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Santa Claus Fund in November, supporting the charity’s goal of raising $1.5 million.
Earlier this year, theÌýSanta Claus FundÌýalso gave away tickets to Swift’s highly anticipated Eras Tour in º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøan initiative that not only raised awareness but also attracted additional donations. This effort was further bolstered by Swift’s own $13,000 contribution, mirroring her support from last year.
While Christmas has already passed, “there’s still time” to help make the season special for families in need, said Brian Cordingley, interim executive director of the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Children’s Charities. Donations are being accepted until the end of the day Tuesday, and as of Monday afternoon, the fund was just $7,000 shy of its $1.5 million target.
The Santa Claus Fund dates back to the late 1800s when Joseph E. Atkinson, the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar’s long-time publisher, was a young boy.
As the youngest of eight children being raised by their widowed mother, Atkinson was watching other children skate around a pond one day when he was approached by a woman who asked why he wasn’t joining in.Ìý
For nearly four decades, Bob Hepburn has been involved with the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Santa Claus Fund,
When Atkinson shared his story and explained that he didn’t have skates to join the other kids on the ice, the woman was so moved that — in a gesture he’d never forget — she gifted him a pair for Christmas.
As the Star’s publisher, Atkinson went on to encourage readers to extend their kindness and donate money allowing the Star to purchase socks, mittens, and treats to fill gift boxes for the holidays.Ìý
What began in 1906 with just 100 gift boxes delivered to children in downtown º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøhas now expanded to 50,000 boxes, with the support of more than 1,500 volunteers and 100 community service agencies.
Star reporter Asma Sahebzada, pictured at the º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar office at the Well, was a recipient of gift boxes from the Santa Claus Fund when she was a child.
Richard Lautens/º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar“It’s very much a community-driven initiative and it couldn’t be done without all those people stepping in to lend a helping hand,” said Meghan Halverson, senior manager of º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Children’s Charities.
Star Editor-in-Chief Nicole Macintyre took part this year in the tradition, writing her first column to kick of the campaign as editor-in-chief. She shares how heartfelt responses from recipients — both parents and children — helped her find the Christmas spirit.
Halverson said she knows the fund is “impactful” because many of the people who received boxes as children come back to volunteer or work for it later on in life, calling it a “full-circle moment.”
Getting a Santa Claus Fund gift box is one of Hoa Vo’s earliest Christmas memories — even if it
“They want to give back and ensure the next generation of kids have that same experience that they did,” she said.
Asma Sahebzada, a reporter at the Star, shared a personal connection this year, recalling how her family once received Santa Claus Fund boxes. It wasn’t until recently, while working in the Star newsroom, that she learned the true source of the generosity.
For Daniela Casas, now a program and development associate with º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Children’s Charities, the experience was even more profound. On her first Christmas in Canada, as a refugee from Colombia, she received a gift box. At the time, she had told herself not to expect anything under the tree, but that gesture of kindness from the Santa Claus Fund left a lasting impact.
“It’s nice to be able to be remembered and to know that there’s somebody out there thinking of you,” she said. “It truly means a lot.”Ìý
³Ò°¿´¡³¢:ÌýÌý$1.5 millionÌý
TO DATE:Ìý$1,492,948
With your gift, the Santa Claus Fund can help provide holiday gift boxes that inspire hope and joy to 50,000 financially vulnerable kids.Ìý
How to donate:Ìý
Online:Ìý
To donate by Visa, Mastercard or Amex, scan this QR code or use our secure form atÌýÌý
By cheque:ÌýÌýÌý
Mail to The º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Santa Claus Fund, 8 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5V 0S8Ìý
By phone:ÌýCall 647-250-8282Ìý
Tax receipts will be issued.Ìý
TO VOLUNTEER:Ìý
EmailÌýscfvolunteer@thestar.caÌý
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL:Ìý
Instagram: @torontostarchildrenscharitiesÌý
Facebook: @thetorontostarchildrenscharitiesÌý
Twitter: @TStarCharitiesÌý
LinkedIn: The º£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøStar Children’s CharitiesÌý
#StarSantaClausFundÌý
