• The Hillside Special Santa Program benefits families and children served by Crestwood Children’s Center, Hillside Children's Center, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, Snell Farms Children’s Center, each affiliates of Hillside Family of Agencies.

• Hillside serves a diverse population that celebrate a variety of holidays such as  Christmas, Hanukkah, Three Kings Day, Kwanza or the New Year.

• Families are identified by their primary social worker for Special Santas when it is determined they are facing the holidays without resources for any type of celebration.

• Hillside Special Santas compliments our family-focused clinical philosophy and treatment within Hillside Family of Agencies. We provide holiday gifts to families so they may concentrate on their family work and family togetherness.

• Community members are asked to contact us at either our Hillside Special Santas Headquarters (585-256-7630) or our web-site at www.hillside.com  to learn what gift items are needed for Hillside families and children in their area.

• Hillside Special Santas now has a presence in the Buffalo and Syracuse areas with exciting events.  You can learn about these by going to www.hillside.com, or contacting us by calling (315) 258-2191 in Syracuse or (716) 848-6416 in Buffalo.

• Donors are asked to either help one child, a single parent with one child, a large family, or on occasion an entire program.   When possible, to best match clients and donors, we will ask the donor to define the level of donation so we may best match a truly meaningful holiday connection.

• Hillside Special Santas goal is to provide three gifts for each child or teenage youth identified, giving us a goal of more than 19,000 items needed.  Gifts range in price beginning as low as $5, and never more than $25 each.  Gift and food cards in these price ranges are wonderful gifts for kids and families.

• While it is fun to buy toys for young children, pre-teens and teens are a large population within Hillside, and their needs are the most difficult to fulfill.

• This year, we expect to have more than 5,600 children referred to Hillside Special Santas, which is 1,600 more than last year..   Most of these are children and adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age.

• More than 300 children and teenagers in Hillside’s care have no families because they have been “freed” by family court, or voluntarily surrendered. 

• Hillside families do not receive holiday resources from all other charities because it is assumed they will receive gifts through Hillside Special Santas.

• Cash donations  are most appreciated allowing us to purchase our most needed gift items or are used for grocery gift cards or teen gifts.  Cash donations may be made to Hillside Special Santas, 1183 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY   14623 or at www.hillside.com, and follow our reindeer to the Hillside Special Santas site.

• Due to strict privacy issues, donors are not permitted to meet families and children.  In fact using real client names violates HIPAA policies, so we appreciate your understanding for our slight changes in “special event” gift tags to protect their anonymity.

• Hillside Special Santas can accept only new items. The most popular items are “hoodie” sweatshirts for all ages, footballs & basketballs, portable CD walkmans, sports watches, games, arts and craft kits, learning books & toys, and bath & body items.

• Being a child and family service agency, we enjoy and encourage youth, teen, college and community involvement within Hillside Special Santas.  Scout troops, classrooms, honor societies and families are encouraged to find creative ways to reach out to kids their own ages allowing a real holiday “connection” to kids they will never know.   Office groups often assist an entire family. Contact us and we’ll get you started!

We invite you, your organization, or family to be a part of Hillside Special Santas.  You will bring joy to someone, and it may just be you!