Annual Tradition Brightens Holidays for Children and Families

The Wish Tree Project, sponsored by Parents in Community Action (PICA), has become an annual tradition for our Minnesota Team. It’s a simple and fulfilling opportunity to make the holidays brighter for low-income children and their families.

Who

Parents in Community Action / Holiday Wish Tree Project / Minneapolis, MN

When

Annually during the holiday season

Event Highlights

Every holiday season, the gifts pile up around the tree in our Roseville, MN office. For a single day.

It’s pick-up day for the Wish Tree Project, sponsored by Parents in Community Action (PICA). It’s the day when the non-profit gathers up the modest gifts our employees buy and wrap for kids known only by the name on a card. Our Minnesota Team has participated in the annual holiday campaign for several years.

PICA serves 2,500 low-income children and their families by preparing children for success in school through Head Start programs and empowering their families to achieve economic self-sufficiency through job training program, ESL and citizenship classes, and other programs.

Our team generally supplies gifts for 40 kids, a small fraction of those served by PICA. For each of the 40 children, the organization provides us with a card listing the child’s name, age, gender and a wish list of 5 or so items. The lists often include necessities, like winter boots or a coat, as well as toys. The items are never extravagant or expensive.

The annual campaign has become tradition for some employees and their families. It is an easy and fulfilling means to support children in need while also teaching their own children about giving back.