Ways to give during the holidays; adopt-a-family, toy drives, and more

The holiday are the season of giving, and many look for ways to give during the holidays to help those in need. With the last couple of years being particularly challenging for many, the need for giving is even higher.

In addition, with people shopping online more than ever, Angel Trees, Toys for Tots, and adopt-a-family programs aren’t as visible to the public to help. 

We’ve gathered a list of places you can help support this year, including adopt-a-family, homeless shelters, food pantries, and more. There are options for all budgets, including Amazon wishlists with gifts for children as inexpensive at $6.

Even one small gift will bring joy to a child who wouldn’t otherwise receive any Christmas present.

To make donations easier, most organizations listed below offer an Amazon Wishlist. You can order a much-needed item or gift from the wishlist, and it will be sent directly to the organization. You don’t even have to leave your house to bring joy when you give this holiday season!

If you know of another organization that could be added, please add details and link in comments. Please do not post personal requests for assistance.

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Adopt-A-Family with St. Vincent Family Center

St. Vincent Family Center, a 150-year-old organization on Columbus’ Near East Side and leading provider of pediatric behavioral healthcare, is encouraging the community to Adopt-A-Family this holiday season.

With deep roots in the central Ohio community, the St. Vincent Family Center specializes in increasing positive behaviors in children, strengthening family relationships, and working with families affected by trauma.

This holiday season, they want to give the children and families they serve a holiday to remember through an Adopt-a-Family program. This year, they are looking to support about 700 children. 

To participate, individuals can either adopt a St. Vincent Family Center family, or contribute a financial donation to support the purchase of holiday gifts for children in greatest need and essential items for their families.

To donate or be matched to a family, individuals can visit the website.

Hope for the Holidays and Wishlist Donations with The Buckeye Ranch

The Buckeye Ranch is an amazing organization focused on helping families and youth for mental health treatment and services for behavioral, psychological, and substance-abuse disorders.

They also offer a Residential program, a secured treatment facility for youth ages 10-17. The holidays are always a difficult season for residential youth, and sending a gift can show them that they are not forgotten. 

To help, you can Adopt-a-Family, make a monetary contribution, or purchase from the Amazon Wish List to send some cheer to youth in their care over the holidays. There are options from as low as $6, so even a small purchase or donation can help. See donation options.

Huck House Adopt A Family and Wishlist Donations

Huckleberry House works with Central Ohio’s youth and families who are dealing with some of the most difficult problems imaginable. Issues like abuse, violence, neglect, poverty, and homelessness.

No matter how hopeless the situation may seem, they offer proven programs and committed people who know how to help young people and families take control of their lives. They offer a crisis shelter, Youth Outreach Program, counseling, crisis hotline, Transitional Living Program, and more

Ways to help

• Shop Amazon Wishlist
• Purchase or donate items from wishlist, including new toiletries and clothing, and gently used household goods
• Make a monetary donation
• Adopt-A-Family: Check website to see if offered for 2024

Find our more ways to get involved with special holiday activities.

YWCA

Help the YWCA meet the needs of the women and families they serve. Many families arrive at the emergency shelter with only the clothing on their back, and may not be able to return to retrieve other items.

Donate to the gift card fund, or purchase items on the wishlist. You can purchase directly from the Amazon wishlist to be delivered directly to the facility, or you can make an appointment. drop off new items from the wishlist pdf. See options here.

Ohio Virtual Academy’s Annual Christmas Toy Drive, benefitting Nationwide Children’s Hospital

TBA for 2024, the OHVA Agricultural Society will be accepting new, unwrapped and nonviolent toy donations for children of all ages, ranging from babies to teens. 

All toys collected will be donated on December 9 to children at Nationwide Children’s Hospital who are unable to be home with their families for the holiday. Since 2015, the toy drive has donated more than 80,000 toys to the hospital through the drive

Examples of acceptable toys include: 

Baby – Rattles, teethers, stacking cups, shapes, plastic links, mirrors, and musical or light up toys.
Preschool – Crayons and coloring books, molding clay, puzzles, bubbles, books, board games and dolls.
School Age – Books, games, playing cards, craft sets, ink kits and painting supplies.
Teens – Drawing and painting supplies, model kits, playing cards, word search and nail polish.

All new, unwrapped and nonviolent toy donations can be dropped off at the following locations now through December 8

Buckeye State Bank – 101 North Main Street, DeGraff, Ohio 43318
Dave Carothers Custom Auto Sales – 1318 OH-540, Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311
Family Farm and Home – 1710 South Main Street, Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311
Marysville Rural King – 1000 North Main Street, Marysville, Ohio 43040
Ohio Virtual Academy Office – 1690 Woodlands Dr., Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537
Provico Farm Supply – 225 South Main Street, Botkins, Ohio 45306
Sidney Walmart – 2400 West Michigan Street, Sidney, Ohio 45364
Springfield Rural King – 1476 Upper Valley Pike, Springfield, Ohio 45504
Walmart – 2281 State Route 68, Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311
Way Public Library – 101 E Indiana Ave., Perrysburg, OH 43551

Gifts can also be shipped to the Ohio Virtual Academy Office in Maumee. Monetary donations will be accepted via PayPal at the following link: bit.ly/3tGgTHr.

Angel Trees at Walmart

The Salvation Army and Walmart are partnering to Rescue Christmas with Angel Trees at Walmart stores across the nation. Recognizing that every child deserves to feel the joy of Christmas, The Salvation Army Angel Tree program provides new clothing and toys to more than one-million children and families in need each year.

Once a child is accepted as an Angel, donors like you can shop for their Christmas wish list. Simply pick a tag off the Angel Tree located inside your local Walmart store or follow the to shop online using Walmart’s Registry for Good to support families in your local area.

Once the gifts are received, The Salvation Army will distribute them to families in need for Christmas morning.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Holiday Toy Drive

Staying at Nationwide Children’s Hospital during the holidays is always hard on children and families.

NCH does everything they can to provide play and stimulation for patients, and the Holiday Toy Drive is a huge part of that. Toys must be purchased from the wish list and sent directly to NCH for health and safety precautions.

You can shop the Amazon list (items will ship directly to NCH), or check out the lists of gifts to buy AND gifts to make. Making gifts is a great way to get children involved in the spirit of giving.

Toy Drives

We’ll add to this list as we come across toy drives (leave a comment or email info@columbusonthecheap.com if you know of others)

List of Toys for Tots Drop-off Locations from TFT website

Locations TBD for 2024

Holiday Wish Franklin County Children’s Services

Each year, FCCS provides gifts for over 6,500 children under their care who may have experienced abuse, neglect or other difficult home conditions. For some children, this may be the only gift they will receive.

They are accepting any new toys, sponsor a child opportunities, as well as gifts cards so kids can choose gifts. Monetary donations to purchase the gift cards are accepted as well. Find donation details here.

Starfish Assignment

This group partners with local law enforcement officers who, during the course of their duty, identify a need in the community. Starfish Assignment reaches out to the community to help fulfill these needs with the help of law enforcement.

Needs may include donations of food, clothing, personal items, and more. Check out the Facebook page to see what assignments Starfish is working on, and how you can help

Mid-Ohio Foodbank

Food and monetary donations are always important with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank – especially during the holiday season. Check out additional ways to contribute this season. Volunteer opportunities are always available.

Other Options for Giving

Churches, schools, and nursing homes may have ways for you to give this holiday season. Since they work directly with individuals, they may be able to identify specific needs for people in your local community.

Call directly to see if they are in need of donations to better the lives of the people they serve. 

If you are aware of other giving opportunities (not personal request/recommendations), please leave them in the comments, or email info@columbusonthecheap.com.

As we get closer to Christmas and donation deadlines, we may not be able to include all of the email suggestions due to time constraints.

Any personal need requests will be deleted.