Santa showed up a bit early this year for more than 50 families thanks to Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt Manor and its Santa”™s Helpers program.
“Many years ago, instead of having an office exchange of gifts we decided to pool resources and obtain names of children from social services agencies who would not have a holiday without our involvement,” hospital President John Federspiel said.
Hospital employees collect contributions from staff, physicians, donors, board members and community members. Since the program was founded 15 years ago, $200,000 has been raised to buy gifts for 1,500 children, Federspiel said.
“This year alone, Santa”™s Helpers bought gifts for 105 children and 51 families in the area, spending approximately $125 on each child,” said Dawn French, the hospital”™s director of public relations and marketing. “Local social services agencies work with the hospital to provide a first name, age, size and wish list for each child. A committee of shoppers purchases gifts, and representatives from almost every hospital department come together to wrap them all.”
