RIDGEFIELD — Storing hundreds of brightly wrapped gifts can be a challenge, especially in elementary schools where storage space is at a premium. But it’s well worth a little shuffling to make room for gifts that have been donated for families in need through Ridgefield schools’ annual Giving Tree programs.
Thanks to the generosity of the Ridgefield community, each school collected hundreds of donations that will help make spirits bright this holiday season.
The Ridgefield Family Resource Center and school counselors identify families who need assistance buying gifts for their school-age children. The families are asked what their children want for gifts. Then, parent-teacher organizations create gift tags showing each request, along with the child’s gender and grade.
The tags are hung on each school’s Giving Tree for people to select. Donors have a few weeks to purchase the requested gifts and drop them off at the school. Once received, volunteers spend hours sorting and matching the gifts and tags to their database. Finally, the presents are stored away until they can be delivered to families before the holidays.
While the Giving Tree project is drawing to a close for this year, there are other ways people can help, such as monetary and food donations to the Ridgefield Family Resource Center, or online donations via the Ridgefield Lions Club.
