Globe Santa kicks off 52d year of fund-raising

Goal is $1m to buy gifts for needy kids

Globe Santa made an appearance at this year's Faneuil Hall Christmas tree lighting ceremony. (EVAN RICHMAN/GLOBE STAFF)

In keeping with a Thanksgiving tradition of many years, Globe Santa is launching his 52d annual fund-raising campaign today.

Knowing that because of the current economic conditions it is going to be a difficult task, Globe Santa is still hoping between now and early January to again raise more than $1 million to finance the purchase of Christmas gifts for more than 55,000 children in some 170 Eastern Massachusetts cities and towns, children, who without the help of Globe Santa and his Friends, would have a more somber Christmas because their parents or guardians could not afford to buy them presents.

Over the past half century, some 2.5 million children have enjoyed happiness on Christmas Day, thanks to the Globe Santa Fund.

A total of $1,166,852.93 was raised during the 2007 campaign. At the same time, Globe Santa provided gifts for 57,079 children in 29,378 families. It was the 21st consecutive year that more than $1 million dollars was raised. The record amount raised is $1,457,508.69, set in 2000.

The largest single year of gift distribution to date was 1990, when 57,666 children in 29,058 families were visited by Globe Santa.

Earlier this month, Globe Santa began processing requests for assistance for this Christmas, and by yesterday more than 16,000 letters had been received, an increase of nearly 3,000 from a year ago. Many of these letters point out that help is needed because of a loss of jobs by their parents.

Each letter must be approved by one of the 174 social and charitable agencies working with the Globe this year.

Marguerite Courage, a part of the Globe Santa team for 43 years who heads the letter processing staff, says no request postmarked after Dec. 5 will be honored.

Once a request is approved and classified by age, it is forwarded to the Globe Special Products facility in Millbury, where gift boxes are assembled and prepared for delivery by United Parcel Service.

Without the generous help of thousands of Santa Friends, this massive Globe Santa program could never be carried out.

Last year, 8,631 contributions were received by Globe Santa. Like the previous 50 years they came from people in all walks of life and all ages.

Some contributors are part of a group of employees in large businesses, others children who had held a "little fair" to raise money to send to Globe Santa. Many donations are made in memory of loved ones who have passed away. And each year there are funds received from people who, when they were children, had enjoyed a merry Christmas thanks to Globe Santa.

Starting tomorrow The Globe Santa "Sleigh" will begin daily visits to locations in Boston and surrounding communities so that children and adults can chat with Santa and his friends and make contributions to the Fund. The first visit will be at Borders Bookstore in downtown Boston.

The Citi Performing Arts Center on Tremont street has also been a point where contributions can be made. The Christmas season performance this year is "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical." Another location for making donations is the Improv Asylum at 216 Hanover street in the city's North End.

Globe Santa will be most grateful for any cash donation, no matter how large or how small. It is in the spirit that you are giving that counts, that of knowing that you are helping a child. All money contributed to the Santa Fund goes only to the purchase of gifts. The Boston Globe Foundation provides funding for the administrative costs of the annual campaign.

Santa's Mailbox
There are four ways you can give.

You can drop off your donation at the Improv Asylum 216 Hanover Street Boston (North End) at any evening performance or during business hours

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.