Toronto, Canada – News outlet The Toronto Star is giving out Santa Boxes to help families with autism in need of holiday fun and cheer. The project, dubbed the Santa Clause Fund, is run by The Star’s own Autism Project and hopes to give the boxes out in December.
Debbie Drewett, who has been the director of development for the Geneva Centre for Autism in Davisville Village for two years, knows the struggles theses families go through:
“Many of our families are struggling financially raising a child with a disability,” Drewett told The Star, “Our reach is huge and the need is huge as well,” she continued, later adding that these special boxes go a long way in helping children’s communities grow. This also helps families who have trouble asking for assistance.
The Star’s director of charity and philanthropy Barb Mrozek commented that:
“That’s the one thing I hear from parents — it’s so hard to tell someone, ‘I need help.’That requires a lot of inner strength to step forward to somebody and say, ‘Please help me.’ That’s why we’re here.”
Most of the families getting a Santa Box are on government assistance, and they are always grateful for whatever help they can get.
To learn more about the Santa Clause Fund please click here
The original article on The Toronto Star website can be found here
Contributed by Audrey L. Hollingshead