The Center for Children & Families serves over 4,000 children and teenagers each year. These are children who have faced unimaginable hardships. Some have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, finding themselves in foster care through no fault of their own. Others live in poverty, struggling to meet even their most basic needs—food, clothing, and shelter. Many are fighting the rising tide of mental health challenges, a crisis that has only worsened since 2020. All are connected to The Center for Children & Families, and all are deserving of hope.
The Christmas Project ensures that every child and teen that we serve gets to experience joy on Christmas morning.
A Legacy of Hope and Generosity
In 2001, leaders at The Center for Children and Families faced a heart-wrenching reality. While their own homes were filled with the joy of Christmas—children unwrapping new toys, laughter echoing from room to room—many of the children they served were left without even the simplest joys. For these children, Christmas morning was just another day without presents, without warmth, without the magic that makes the holidays special. The disparity was too much to bear.
Hope in the Darkness
But from this place of struggle came a vision that would change thousands lives. The leadership and Board of Directors asked a powerful question: What if the community could come together to ensure that children in need didn’t go without? What if generosity and kindness could fill the gap, spreading hope and joy to those who need it most at Christmas?
And so, The Christmas Project was born.
From 50 Soccer Balls to 1,000 Smiles
That first year, the dream started small—just 50 soccer balls donated for children in foster care. But from those humble beginnings, The Christmas Project grew into something extraordinary. Over the past two decades, this community-driven effort has exploded in both scope and impact, now reaching more than 1,000 children each year.
How can you provide Gifts of Hope
to children from hard places?
Sponsor a Wish List
When you sponsor a child’s wish list within one of our programs, you'll receive a list of their most hoped-for items — things like toys, gifts, clothes, books, and essentials.
It’s more than just gifts under the tree. Sponsorship means giving a child joy, comfort, and the reminder that they are seen, valued, and cared for during Christmas.
Make a donation
Your donations will be used to purchase clothing and gifts for children who enter our services just before Christmas!
- Text STANDFORHOPE to 53555 to give or make a donation below
Collect Gifts of Hope
Our Monroe, Shreveport, and Clinton, MS offices are accepting businesses to join us as official collection sites for the Christmas Project! As a collection site, your business can help spread joy by gathering NEW and UNWRAPPED toys, gifts, and clothing items for children and families in need this holiday season.
If your business would like to participate, sign up today and make a difference right in your community!
Become a Corporate Sponsor
As a Corporate Sponsor, your business helps support children from hard places, filling the gap to purchase of gifts, clothing, and other holiday needs, while also helping cover the logistics of making this large community effort possible. In return, we recognize our Corporate Sponsors through public acknowledgment, offering your business a meaningful way to show your commitment to children, families, and our communities.
You help make the holidays brighter for children from hard places, and create lasting impact well beyond the season.
What can I expect on a Wish List?
Each Christmas Project Wish List will have sizes for one complete outfit of clothing for your sponsored child: Shirt, Pants, Shoes, and Coat, as well as other toy or gift ideas. At a minimum we ask that each child receives at least one clothing outfit as well as one age-appropriate toy or gift on their wish list. This is the minimum requirement, however, there is no limit to how much you can give to brighten your sponsored child’s Christmas!
If you have more questions, please visit our frequently asked questions page HERE.