NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) witnessed a heartwarming scene on Tuesday as volunteers came together to pack presents for children in need. This annual Wonderfund Holiday Gift Drive is a significant event that brings hope and joy to those going through tough times.

Spreading Holiday Cheer through Wonderfund's Gift Drive

Former First Lady's Leadership

Former Massachusetts First Lady Lauren Baker is at the helm of this holiday mission. She emphasizes the importance of each gift, stating, "Today, every person who buys a gift online or delivers a gift is making hope and fulfilling dreams for a child who’s going through some really, really tough stuff." Since 2017, Wonderfund has been providing emergency essentials to children in traumatic situations. The organization aims to provide presents for 50,000 kids and teens currently assisted by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Baker knows firsthand the impact of a little kindness, especially during the holidays. She believes that every gift matters and there's still time to bring holiday joy to those in need.

Volunteer Efforts and Distribution

The volunteers worked tirelessly to sort hundreds of toys into bags that will be distributed across the commonwealth. Baker explains, "The gifts that we receive are taken to the 29 DCF area offices around the commonwealth. And the social workers make it possible for wish lists to be fulfilled. Some of them create a little store inside their office. They all do it different ways." This shows the collaborative effort between volunteers and social workers to ensure that every child engaged with the child welfare system gets a gift chosen specifically for them.

Call to Action

Baker encourages everyone to get involved. She says, "There’s still plenty of time, there’s thousands of kids who need to have gifts chosen for them, so if you would like to, go on wonderfundma.org today or anytime in the next week or so, and purchase a gift, and it will come to us and we will make sure that it gets to a child." If you want to find out more about how you can help with the Wonderfund Holiday Gift Drive, visit wonderfundma.org/get-involved/holiday-gift-drive.