About Holiday Hope Tree

Who we are

Holiday Hope Tree began with a simple truth: every child deserves the magic of Christmas morning. In 2021, two of our founders — both foster parents themselves — saw firsthand how deeply DHS caseworkers cared for the children in their charge, and how little time or funding was left over for holiday gifts. So they gathered a small circle of family, friends, and local churches to help close that gap. What started as a modest effort for a few hundred local foster youth quickly grew into something bigger, and we became an official 501(c)(3) non-profit — dedicated to bringing help, hope, and joy to children, teens, and young adults in foster care across Pulaski County.

What we do

Each holiday season, “That Church” in Sherwood generously donates its entire facility to serve as our festive headquarters, where volunteer “elves” turn the space into a gift-wrapping workshop overflowing with presents. We believe every child is one of a kind, so their gifts should be too. Working closely with DHS caseworkers and foster parents, we gather a personalized wish list for every child — right down to a doll’s hair color or an exact shoe size — and match it with a sponsor determined to make it come true. The result is a gift bundle that feels deeply personal, telling every child: you are known, and you are loved.

It truly takes a village

The holidays can be a hard season for a child separated from their biological family — days that should be full of excitement instead carry loss and uncertainty. State funding doesn’t cover holiday gifts, and foster stipends rarely stretch to cover extras, so Holiday Hope Tree steps in for both the children and the foster families who’ve opened their homes to them. We can’t do this alone. Ours is a community-wide effort that welcomes partners of every background and belief: churches of all denominations, small businesses, and local organizations, all pitching in. We also partner with The Call to offer convenient gift drop-off locations across the region. One goal unites us: making sure every child in foster care feels seen, special, and deeply valued.

How you can help

Our community never stops amazing us with its generosity, wrapping local foster youth in love year after year. Here are a few ways to join in:

• Host a Tree: Churches, businesses, and community events can host a Holiday Hope Tree stocked with custom wish lists, so shoppers can pick a child and fulfill their list directly.
• Toy & Gift Card Drives: New toy and gift card donations help us fill gaps in existing lists and cover last-minute requests.
• Financial Contributions & Corporate Sponsorships: Financial gifts let us purchase bigger-ticket items like bicycles and tablets, support young adults (ages 18-21) aging out of care, and quickly shop for children who enter the foster system between our pickup deadline and Christmas Day.

Every gift, large or small, helps a child in our community wake up to a beautiful Christmas morning. Thank you for opening your heart and giving the gift of hope.