Not Your Typical Holiday Charity
Pass It On Project (PIOP) provides fully personalized holiday support for families experiencing financial hardship or housing instability. From gifts and clothing, to meals, supermarket gift cards, essential personal and household items – and even Christmas trees – PIOP goes beyond basic assistance, we create a complete holiday experience so families wake up to a Christmas morning they never thought possible.
Personalized Support
This isn’t a toy drive. This is a full-family experience.
Most holiday drives focus on collecting toys and distributing them in bulk. That’s not what we do. We deliver something different – an unforgettable, tailored experience for every family.
Every family we support receives a fully personalized holiday moment thoughtfully designed to create a magical Christmas morning.
- Personalized wish lists for every family member.
- Support for the entire family, not just the children.
- Gifts carefully chosen to meet the unique needs of children with special needs.
- Gifts wrapped for each family member and labeled “from Santa”.
- Clothing, household essentials, meals and grocery gift cards.
- Christmas trees are provided and set up when needed.
We don’t just give items. We create the magic of a real Christmas morning.
It’s that Christmas magic and personal engagement with each family that draws our devoted volunteers each year. Volunteers help purchase and wrap all the gifts, then participate in every delivery to each family. Dressed as Santa’s elves, the thrill of being greeted by children jumping up and down and screaming with excitement sets the stage for a very special and personal family interaction and connection. ‘Santa’s elves’ sit on the floor with the children helping them unwrap and play with one special gift.
A Real Christmas Experience
Pass It On Project doesn’t just buy toys. We create moments that parents and their children will never forget.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we arrive at the family’s home as Santa’s helpers, dressed as elves. We explain to the kids that Santa is extremely busy and he has asked us to help him by delivering the gifts early.
With the exception of one gift that’s opened with the “elves” when delivered, every gift is wrapped, labeled from Santa, and kept hidden by parents until the big day. This helps preserve the excitement and anticipation of seeing all the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.
During the delivery, each family member receives one gift to open. This allows us to spend time with the family, build a connection, and share in the excitement.
Parents then hide the gifts until Christmas Eve, when they place them under the tree for Christmas morning. That morning, the children wake up to a tree surrounded by gifts, just as if Santa delivered them himself the night before.
That experience, that feeling is exactly why Pass It On Project exists.
How It Works
1. Families Are Referred
Families are identified through partnerships with schools, homeless shelters, and trusted community organizations on Staten Island.
2. We Build The List
Working closely with the head of each family, we assemble personalized wish lists for every family member, including both their “needs” and their “wants”.
3. We Shop & Prepare
Every item is purchased, wrapped, labeled from Santa and organized with the help of volunteers in preparation for delivery to each family.
4. We Deliver The Experience
We deliver everything before Christmas so the families can prepare for the experience of a real Christmas morning. Partnering with local restaurants, we also deliver meals to the families.
Real Impact
Real families. Real impact. Real results.
- 17 families supported in 2025
- 71 individuals supported
- 90% of donations go directly to families in need
A Real Family Story
In 2025, we supported a family of eight with six young children.
While delivering their holiday gifts, one of our volunteers was deeply moved, not just by the family’s gratitude, but by the conditions they were living in. The home had no furniture in the living room or dining area.
After the holidays, that volunteer made a personal donation to PIOP to support the family further.
In January, we purchased and delivered a new couch and dining room set to that family providing comfort and stability beyond the holiday season. This is what your support makes possible.
Why It Matters
For many families, the holidays bring stress and worry instead of joy. Parents are often forced to choose between paying bills and providing for their children at Christmas.
Pass It On Project changes that by giving families not just support, but the ability to experience the holidays with dignity, excitement, love and joy, without any of the stress.
Help Us Create Christmas Morning
Your support allows us to create unforgettable Christmas mornings for families who need it most.
