Holiday Hopes
Gift Campaign for the Children

Make a difference in the life of a child this holiday!
Sponsor a child at The House through the Friends of the Children Holiday Hopes Gift Campaign.

There are 350 children at The House that need their wishes answered this holiday.

Sponsors are matched with a child at The House of the Good Shepherd and answer that child’s holiday wishes. Wishes fit within the $50 and $25 levels or total $85.

Sign Up to Be a Sponsor

To become a Holiday Hopes sponsor, please click here. You will be directed to a Sponsor Form (in a PDF document) that has more information on the program.

If you would like to donate a monetary gift to Holiday Hopes, you can do so through our secure online donation site. Click here to donate now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Listed below are some frequently asked questions regarding Holiday Hopes:

What gifts do the children ask for on their wish lists?
Each child completes a wish list with the help of a staff member. Wishes are within the $50 level (children in foster care) and $25 level (Families Foremost children) or total $85 (residential children).

You should receive your child’s wish list in the mail by November 19. If there are questions, please call Lee at 235-7772 or email leilab@hgs-utica.com.

What is a Program Wish?
A Program Wish is a gift that children share at their program site such as a board games, DVDs or arts and crafts.

What is a Large Program Wish?
A Large Program Wish is a large gift that children share at their program site such as a TV, DVD player, PlayStation, Wii, Xbox.

What is the Holiday Morning Gift?
These are gifts that each child in our residential programs receives on holiday morning. Examples of gifts include lotion sets, wallets or CD walkmans. Gifts range in price from $5-$25 each.

What if I would like to help but I can’t shop?
You can still participate with financial support. We will designate a shopper to purchase gifts for a child with your sponsorship.

What if I said I would sponsor a child, and I can’t complete the shopping?
Please call 235-7772 to tell us as soon as you know. Only one sponsor receives the wish of a child. We don’t want to disappoint any of the children. Please alert us so we can make alternative arrangements.

What about a note for the child?
We encourage sponsors to write a note to their child. A note can be a simple greeting or an explanation of why you chose to be a sponsor. It’s an extra treat for a child to receive a note and discover that a total stranger is choosing to make his or her wishes a priority.

Should gifts be wrapped?
Please do not wrap your gifts. We must check each gift for accuracy and safety.

Should I include the gift receipt and the child’s wish list with my gifts?
Yes, please do. This assists us in recording your generous support and correctly identifying the gift. You can also receive a receipt for the value of your gifts.

Where can I drop off my gift?
Gifts will be collected at the former Rite Aid in New Hartford Shopping Center.

When can I drop off my gifts?
Gifts can be delivered between Tuesday, December 2 - Thursday, December 11.

During those dates, hours of operation are:
Monday, Tuesday, Friday – 10am-3pm
Wednesday & Thursday – 10am-7pm
We are NOT open on weekends!

More Information...

For more information, please call Leila (Lee) Bjornland, Special Events Coordinator, at (315) 235-7772 or email leilab@hgs-utica.com.


Thank you from the children at The House of the Good Shepherd!