Help to Make This Holiday Season Bright for Local Students

By Jessi Marsh, CEO

The holidays are a time for generosity and community. At the Will Allen Foundation, our annual Holiday Giving Program is one of our most anticipated events of the year. It is a purposeful act of kindness, designed to be fun, festive, and meaningful for everyone involved, and we are excited to invite you to be part of it!

Here’s how it works:

On December 16 this year, students from Clairton and throughout the Pittsburgh area will be brought to a local retail store in West Mifflin for the shopping experience. Each student receives a $200 gift card and is paired with an adult volunteer to help them to shop for gifts for their families. Many of our students choose presents for parents, grandparents, or siblings. Volunteers help them budget, make their purchases, and then wrap the gifts. At the end of the night, students are surprised with a gift from their own wish list. Add in holiday snacks, laughter, and community (plus some special guests including our own founder, former Steeler, Will Allen!) and it becomes a truly special evening.

The program provides much more than a shopping experience. Your support provides the gift cards for students to shop with, transportation for students and families, boxed meals and snacks, and all the supplies needed to wrap gifts. It also ensures that each student leaves with a personal gift selected from their wish list.

For our volunteers, it is hands-on and deeply rewarding. We plan to welcome 25 to 30 volunteers this year, and every role is important. From greeting families to helping wrap gifts to being paired with a student, each volunteer helps make the event run smoothly. Past participants have called it one of the most fulfilling experiences of their year.

If you are looking for a holiday volunteer opportunity in Pittsburgh or want to support a holiday program that makes a direct impact on young people and their families, this is it. You can give, volunteer, or both. Either way, you will be helping local students feel proud, cared for, and celebrated this holiday season.

To give, donate here.

To sponsor the event, email CEO Jessi Marsh.

To volunteer, email COO Amy Baumgardner. Together we can make this holiday season unforgettable for our students and their families.

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