Brandywine Senior Living gave a little magic this holiday season to the young children at The Boys and Girls Club of Camden County by holding their first annual Holiday Giving Tree gift drive.
Through the Holiday Giving Tree, Brandywine strived to bring hope and wonder for the girls and boys by providing presents to deserving children whose families may face financial hardship. Brandywine’s three south Jersey communities, Voorhees, Haddonfield and Moorestown Estates, along with its corporate office all had their very own Holiday Giving Tree set up. The trees were decorated with ornaments that listed the child’s gender, age and a few suggested items that they wished for this holiday season from Santa.
Residents, staff, family members, friends and the community were invited to select an ornament from the tree and help bring some holiday cheer to children in need. The ornaments were returned along with the unwrapped gifts a few weeks before Christmas so they could be separated in time for Santa to distribute all the presents to the children.
“We are so excited to have the Holiday Giving Tree come here to the Boys and Girls Club. It’s really going to help the parents relieve some of the stress that they might find themselves in,” said Bernadette Shanahan, Executive Director at The Boys and Girls Club of Camden County. “We just want them to feel joy and gratitude and to know that someone outside cares about them.”
Brandywine team members packed four carloads filled to the brim with Pillow Pets, dolls, Legos, board games, sporting equipment, arts and crafts and more, all for the children of the Club.
“To be able to give a special boy or girl something to open and look forward to on Christmas is a feeling that can’t be described,” said Kim Fasolo, Director of Community Relations at Brandywine Senior Living at Haddonfield. “The Holiday Giving Tree is something the Brandywine Family will look forward to come every holiday season.”
