Winter Wishes Gift Drive - Update

December 18, 2016 12:27 PM

I just wanted to offer a final wrap-up of what MeFi's generosity accomplished this year. It's pretty amazing.

I'm sorry for starting a new post! The original one's already closed.

First of all, I've set up a mailing list that you can subscribe to if you'd like to be notified when the annual gift drive announcement is posted. Every year, there are some folks who don't see it til it's almost or actually over, so I thought a notification list might be a good idea.

All of MeFi's Winter Wishes gifts have been delivered... and this year, there was such an outpouring of donations and good wishes that you were able to give even more than usual. You gave:

- Gifts to 70 children and seniors as part of New York Cares' Winter Wishes program.

- Extra "fill in" gift cards to the organizations those letters came from.

- A bunch of cards personally written to those who wrote wish letters.

- Dolls sent from Hermione Granger to two very deserving little girls whose families are having an extra hard winter.

- Gift cards to women and children affected by domestic violence. The Amazon credit for the duplicates came later than the original drive, so I made an executive decision about what to do with it. (And there might be more coming. The wish list/dupe situation is kind of a headache.) These gifts allow women choice, dignity, and flexibility, all things that seem like they could be in even shorter supply very soon. I volunteered with this organization when I lived in DC a long time ago, and they make good use of their resources.

- Super warm feelings to a lot of people, including me. Thank you for that.

Here are some photos of the gifts being loaded up for delivery! I always forget to take pics until everything's almost done, and every year, I promise myself I'll do better. Sigh.

Many, many, many thanks to everyone who participated this year in any capacity -- donations, card-writing, and merry thoughts. You made the season brighter for so many people.

posted by houseofdanie to MetaFilter-Related at 12:27 PM (8 comments total)

Oh hooray, this is excellent. Go Mefites!

Thank you as always for doing so much legwork on this, houseofdanie, you rule.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 12:33 PM on December 18, 2016 [3 favorites]

Wonderful! Mefites are the best, good work everyone.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:58 PM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Well done indeed. Nine cheers!
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:37 PM on December 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Thanks again for doing this. I second LobsterMitten's "you rule" and move that you be awarded the MetaFilter Order Of Awesome. Please come to the next meeting of the Cabal to receive it.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:49 PM on December 18, 2016 [6 favorites]

Hurray, I am sooo glad everything made it to you!!!! If you need any more presents for those two girls, let me know; I have four more dolls from EAH that I can send to you for them. :) Thank you so much for being such a dedicated coordinator for this phenomenal event each year!
posted by Hermione Granger at 3:48 PM on December 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

Yay, this is great work you all are doing.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 5:13 PM on December 18, 2016 [4 favorites]

houseofdanie, thank you for coordinating this every year. It's one of my favorite parts of the holidays. hurray!
posted by needlegrrl at 6:00 AM on December 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

Thank you so much for organizing this and making sure everything goes where it is supposed to. It is a lot of hard work on your part, and I really appreciate it!
posted by agatha_magatha at 10:43 AM on December 19, 2016