Holiday Gift Sponsor FAQs

Q. Can I get more information about what this child will like?

A. We ask families for gift wishes and each family provides a different level of information. We encourage donors to search “most popular gifts for X year old” to find lists of ideas at many retailers. Gift cards in increments of $50 or less are always a welcome gift!

Q. I prioritize a coat and would like to provide this item, but they are not included. How can I do that?

A. Most recipient families will receive their coats in October through a larger community coat drive. New and clean, gently-used coat donations are welcome. Please contact Youth Services at 847-724-2620 for drop off information.

Q. I have a child from one family that has more wishes than their siblings. What should I do?

A. We strive to make sure that siblings are balanced in terms of number of gifts/volume of gifts – especially for the younger aged children who do not understand value. We encourage donors to do their best in balancing gifts. Not every wish needs to be provided. In general, we suggest one outfit and three additional gifts per child.

Q. How much are we expected to spend per child?

A. The amount spent on each child varies widely depending on a sponsor’s comfort level, financial ability, and the child’s interests. We encourage donors to spend within their means. Ideally, donors would provide each child one outfit and three additional gifts. If you have any concerns about this, we ask donors to communicate with staff as soon as possible in the event we may need to reassign a child.

Q. When do you need the gifts?

A. We request everything by the first week of December. To be honest, we prefer gifts as soon as possible to allow us time to check them in. We are a very lean team, so we try to get as much accomplished as quickly as possible. We also begin to call families for pick-up as soon as their gifts are finalized to alleviate space constraints. We would not be able to handle all of this in December.

Q. A child on my list has an age with a decimal point and additional numbers. What does that mean?

A. This is the exact age of the child as calculated by the database we use for this program. Please refer to the first number. If the decimal is close to #.9, then assume they are just about to have a birthday.

Q. There are a lot of name brands on my list. Is that important?

A. Many children specify name brands because this is their opportunity to get a special brand of clothing or item they may not receive otherwise. We ask that these are within reasonable range (for example, not designer). Often kids may not know how much something costs and see other kids wearing these items. We encourage you to follow this direction when possible. Otherwise, a similar brand or a gift card in increments of $50 or less are nice alternatives.