IMPORTANT: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has changed the application process for emergency rental and mortgage assistance! Click here to learn more.

Click here to learn more about Rosewood Way, our newest development in Agawam!

Give the gift of happiness

to hundreds of children living in shelter

November 22, 2022

Now through December 16th

At Way Finders, we manage emergency family homeless shelters throughout western Massachusetts. Many families are in shelter because of job loss, fires, domestic violence, and more. Some stay in shelter for a few months; others for years. It's a struggle to find affordable housing - especially when you have a large family.

Over 700 children of all ages live in our shelters. Kids who need more normalcy in their lives. Our Toy Drive provides families in shelter with gifts that bring a smile to their child's face. 

For some families, the Toy Drive gifts are a little bit of extra cheer. For others, they are the only gifts their child will open on Christmas morning. 

“We forget that gifts and toys are not on a survivor’s mind. They are not the first thing someone’s grabbing when they need to leave a situation,” says Sarah Cloutier, Way Finders Director of Supportive Services. “We have a family in a hotel right now, unfortunately, because there wasn’t space elsewhere. She kept saying, ‘As long as we’re safe, and have somewhere to sleep, we’re OK.’ They have no Christmas tree. She was so appreciative. Even of something small, even a book. She was so thankful.”  

With your help, we can ensure that every child living in shelter receives at least one gift this holiday season.

Especially important this year: gift cards to Target or Walmart that shelter staff can give to teenagers living in shelter.  

Make the holidays a little brighter this year for a child in one of our shelters:

Donate to our gift card fund for older kids here, or
Choose a toy from our Amazon wish list and ship it to our Springfield office, or
- Bring new, unwrapped gifts to our Springfield housing center. Click here for hours and directions.

 

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