‘Dear Santa’ gives 1K kids holiday joy

Published 7:52 pm Tuesday, December 27, 2022

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Thanks to the generosity of community sponsors, more than 1,000 children in East Tennessee received holiday gifts through the McNabb Center’s “Dear Santa” program this year. Donors fulfilled Christmas wish lists for children who are clients of the McNabb Center and their siblings, whose families have limited resources. The Dear Santa program is supported by businesses, organizations and individual donors who sponsor children or host toy drives.
“We are so grateful to the community for their support of the Dear Santa program,” said Amy Cattran, community relations coordinator. “Thanks to our generous sponsors, children who would have not normally received anything for Christmas was given a joyful holiday experience.”
In addition to the nearly 800 wish lists sponsored by community members, over 275 children’s lists were fulfilled at the McNabb Center’s annual Elf Shopping event. Volunteers and staff shopped for children’s lists at Target at Turkey Creek earlier this month. Elf Shopping is funded by the Beth Haynes 12 Days of Christmas Auction.
The Dear Santa program serves approximately 2,200 clients in East Tennessee through sponsored wish lists, toy drives and holiday parties. To learn more about Dear Santa, visit: www.mcnabbfoundation.org/DearSanta.

For additional information, contact Amy Cattran at (865) 637-9711 ext. 1155 or amy.cattran@mcnabb.org.

The McNabb Center is the region’s leading nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use and social and victim services. By focusing on an individual’s “Well Mind, Well Being,” the organization provides a quality and compassionate approach to care from infancy through adulthood. Since 1948, the Center has proudly served individuals with the most needs and fewest resources. Today, the McNabb Center delivers support to more than 43,000 people throughout East Tennessee each year. For more information, visit: www.mcnabbcenter.org  or call 1-800-255-9711.

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