Over 1,400 Gifts Donated to Fulfill 300+ Student Wish Lists During United Way’s Annual Holiday Drive

Hundreds of volunteers in United Way of Santa Barbara County’s community network united to fulfill wish lists from over 300 students and families in Santa Barbara County schools during the 2024 Holiday Gift Drive.

United Way of Santa Barbara County celebrated the completion of another successful annual Holiday Gift Drive by fulfilling the wishes of hundreds of local students.

This volunteer opportunity connects community members with wish lists from children and families in the organization’s network of school districts and nonprofit partners. Now in its fifth year, the gift drive celebrated a record-breaking service year in 2024, supporting over 300 students throughout the region, from Carpinteria to Guadalupe.

“This cherished tradition brings our team together for a festive gift-wrapping party, complete with holiday sweaters, music, and refreshments. This year, we wrapped over 80 gifts, transforming our boardroom into Santa’s workshop!” shared Alyssa Shapiro, Assistant Vice President and Community Relations Specialist at American Riviera Bank. “The event not only brightens the holidays for local children but also strengthens our team’s morale and workplace satisfaction. It is heartwarming how our connections can be positively reinforced through fun and giving back! We’re thankful for United Way’s year-round community efforts, especially during the holiday season, as it aligns perfectly with our commitment to True Community Banking.”

Each year, United Way invites its school district and service agency partners to identify and refer participants to the gift drive program, with families submitting a customized wish list of wants and needs for the holidays. Parents and caregivers share wish lists with United Way’s Community Impact team, which connects each list to volunteers who purchase a selection of gifts based on the child’s interests and needs.

This year, hundreds of community members participated in the drive, with teams from local businesses as well as individual donors connected to a record number of wish lists. . Volunteers delivered over 1,400 gifts to the United Way office, which were prepared for participating families to collect ahead of the holidays to share with their children.

The Holiday Gift Drive falls under United Way’s Academic Achievement initiative, designed to provide a layer of support for school district partners who work with United Way throughout the year.

The program is one of a full suite of academic and enrichment programming developed in partnership with schools and delivered directly through United Way to support students in low-resource communities in maximizing their academic potential. Programs include the Fun in the Sun summer learning program, the United Learning Center, and the Bridge the Break program, which cycle throughout the year to provide consistent support to hundreds of students and families each year.

“It has been a true pleasure to collaborate with our school district partners and local volunteers for the Holiday Gift Drive this year,” said Allegra Rouss, United Way’s Community Impact Program Manager.  “Together, we were able to gather a wonderful array of customized gifts for children in our community who might not have received any other presents this holiday season. Our team is grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting local families during this special time of year!”

This year, the gift drive also continued its partnership with UCSB’s Arts & Lectures, raising funds and collecting toys at its annual holiday performance on December 5th at the Arlington Theater. Funds collected at the event were used to purchase gift cards to local grocery outlets and retailers to provide an additional layer of support for families participating in the drive.

To learn more about the gift drive or to get involved in supporting United Way’s Academic Achievement initiative, please visit www.unitedwaysb.org.