Write your article here..By J.D. O’Gara

 

The Santa Foundation is looking for a new home. The nonprofit is looking for a bigger space, as it continues to provide gifts and support for any family in need in Franklin, Bellingham, Norfolk, Wrentham, Medway, and Millis, among other towns. Their focus – families in need due to a health crisis or financial hardship. The organization, which works with local food pantries, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and local housing authorities, assisted 567 families last year. So far, in 2023, the Santa Foundation has assisted 465 families (at press time) and is already well on its way to again helping over 500 families. 

For 37 years, the main sponsor, and headquarters of the Santa Foundation, was Sullivan Associates, Inc., a small office located in a residential area at 1 Joy Street in Franklin. On May 31, Sullivan Associates officially closed its business, while the Santa Foundation, run entirely by volunteers, continues to operate on the premises. The Santa Foundation is now dependent on its corporate sponsors to cover overhead costs, while 100% of individual donations go to families in need. 

“The SF team, still going strong at 38th years, is very tight on space,” says Dick Timmons, President of the Santa Foundation, now retired from Sullivan Associates. “We love our address but feel that we must relocate during 2024 in order to grow and help more families in need. The Santa Foundation will operate out of the 1 Joy Street location until a suitable new home can be found. We are looking for between 2,000 and 2,500 square feet, with a small office space. If anyone has the space available, please contact us. We would like to discuss the opportunity.”

The Santa Foundation has added four new directors this year who will help keep the organization going beyond 2024: Joe Formosa (owner of iLoveKickboxing), Pam Formosa (owner of Brain Fit Academy), Mike Polenski (social worker, Commonwealth of Massachusetts), and Manisone Bounsavath (Assistant Branch Manager of Middlesex Bank). 

Volunteers that work at the Santa Foundation are still operating. In 2022, nine part-time volunteers, most notably Jan Prentice, Lia Thomas, Dick Tomaino, and Patty Toney, put in over 2,000 hours fulfilling holiday hopes for those in need, including four homeless shelters and two children’s homes. Younger volunteers Patrick Timmons and Karina Thomas helped maintain the website and assist with annual fundraisers and the well-loved November calendar raffle.

This year places the need for assistance as high as ever. Timmons points out that the best gifts for most recipients are gift cards, and Prentice adds that, in particular, the organization can always use gifts for teenagers.

“Gift cards to Walmart, Target and local food chains are gifts that allow families to get a gift but also go shopping for clothes and food as needed,” says Timmons. The Santa Foundation places giving trees at the following locations, with tags created from Christmas wish lists that generous neighbors are encouraged to take and fulfill:

• Franklin Police Department, 911 Panther Way, Franklin 

• Grove Street Auto, 79 Grove Street, Franklin

• James Roadside Café, 850 Franklin St., Wrentham

• King Street Cafe, 390 King St., Franklin

• Medway Police Department, 315 Village St., Franklin 

• Middlesex Bank, 1000 Franklin Village Drive, Franklin

• Norfolk Credit Union, 194 Main St., Norfolk

• Norfolk Fire Department, 117 Main St, Norfolk

• Postal Center, 279 E Central Street, Franklin

• Postal Center, 9 Medway Rd., Ste. C, Milford

• Postal Center, 14 Milliston Rd., Millis

“The Santa Foundation not only provides families with gifts during the holiday season, but also helps families in need throughout the year. We have paid rent, utilities, and expenses for daily necessities as needed,” says Timmons. In addition to delivering 17,010 gifts (valued at $340,200) in 2022, with the foundation purchasing $12,767 of that total, the Santa Foundation also assisted needy neighbors with $6,413 in rent and $1,827 in family support. 

“We will never say no to a legitimate request for assistance from a verified local family in need, not just at Christmastime, but throughout the year,” Timmons said, adding, “The Santa Foundation wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy healthy New Year.”

Timmons points out that the Santa Foundation could not operate without its sponsors, and a complete list is available on its website, www.sfjoy.org. The Santa Foundation can also be found on Facebook. To reach them you can also call (508) 528-4715 or email [email protected].