Every holiday season, families across the Seattle area step up to support neighbors who could use a little extra cheer. If you’re looking to adopt a family for Christmas in Seattle, sponsor a child, or take part in an Angel Tree program, there are several local organizations ready to help you give in a way that’s personal and impactful. This guide walks you through the programs, deadlines, and ways to get involved.
Bellevue LifeSpring
This holiday season, LifeSpring is partnering with the Bellevue Boys & Girls Club and Rainier Athletes to ensure that low-income Bellevue youth experience the warmth of the holiday season. You can purchase gifts, which will be delivered to the organization’s festive holiday gift room. In December, families will visit the gift room to choose personal presents their children will love, preserving both joy and dignity in the giving experience. Visit the ‘Tis the Season page on Purposity to browse a list of requested toys and gift cards. You can also gather as a family or group to assemble Festive Treat Kits or Holiday Warming Packs. Gifts should be ordered by December 5th. Contact gannon@bellevuelifespring.org to schedule a donation.
Federal Way Cares for Kids
This nonprofit serving families in the Federal Way School District calls its program Sponsor Christmas Morning. Bring unwrapped toys or gift cards ($30 value) to South King County fire stations or specified partners. Monetary donations are accepted via Venmo at @fwcares-forkids or via PayPal. In addition, it has an Amazon Wish List from which items can be sent directly to the organization.
The Forgotten Children’s Fund
The Forgotten Children’s Fund is an all-volunteer organization that, since 1976, has given underprivileged children and their families a truly Merry Christmas. With the support of the greater Seattle community, the group purchases, wraps, and has Santa and his Elves deliver more than 20,000 gifts annually. The organization appreciates monetary donations and needs volunteer gift wrappers. Here’s how to volunteer at the “North Pole.” Or, donate here. FCF’s story, by the way, will melt your heart.
Hope for Christmas Adopt-A-Family Program
At Gifts of Hope, our Hope for Christmas program invites community sponsors to help create brighter holidays for seniors and children ages 0–18. From October 20 to November 29, you can browse real family stories and select those you wish to sponsor directly online. Once you’ve made your selection, you’ll receive their holiday wish lists and easy instructions for delivering your gifts. Go here to adopt a family. If you have questions, our Gifts of Hope 24/7 Info Line is available at 206-759-8478 or email us @ christmas@givinggiftsofhope.org
Hopelink
Since 1971, Hopelink has provided stability-building programs for people experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people with disabilities in North and East King County. The agency’s programs work in tandem to fill gaps, supporting the unique needs of each family or individual. These include food assistance, energy assistance, financial assistance, housing with case management, mobility management, non-emergency medical transportation, Dial-a-Ride Transit (DART), English for work, family development, and financial capabilities. Ways to help include donations, hosting a food drive, volunteering, and more.
The Lake City Holiday Project
The Lake City Holiday Project (LCHP) is a partnership between human service providers, donors, and the NE Seattle Community. For more than 40 years, the project has provided toys and clothing to thousands of children from infancy to age 18. Beginning in mid-November, businesses around NE Seattle will host giving trees from which you can take a tag to purchase specific items. Other ways to help include volunteering to sort, bag, and transport gifts, or donating money for the purchase of gifts and gift cards. You can even sponsor a child, Learn more about how you can contribute here.
Mary’s Place
Since 1999, Mary’s Place has helped thousands of women and families move out of homelessness into more stable housing. This year, their biggest request to the community is for gift cards. These will be distributed to teens and parents staying in shelters and to those living unsheltered, working with our outreach team, so that they can do their own personal shopping for each other. Gift cards can be purchased for retail stores like Target, Walmart, Amazon, or you can buy VISA gift cards. Please buy in values of $25 and $50, and be sure to write the value on the gift card. You can mail them to Mary’s Place, PO Box 1711, Seattle, WA 98111, or drop off at our Donation Center
- Interested in shopping for a specific toy that a child in the shelter wants? Check out the most requested toy list here. Or use their Amazon Wish List to order and ship.
- If you would like to create a Giving Tree for your office, congregation, or community group and include tags with a specific toy, you can download this Giving Tree Tag document and write in toys from this list.
- You can also create a Gift Card Giving Tree with tags requesting $25 or $50 gift cards to retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and Target. Please drop all unwrapped gifts and gift cards at the donation center listed below by December 12th to ensure the families can enjoy them by Christmas. The Mary’s Place donation center, located at 4521 6th Ave S, Seattle, is accepting donations Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through December 12th.
Treehouse
Treehouse is dedicated to helping kids in the foster care system. It provides everything from clothing to school supplies to toys. Additionally, it helps children with expenses such as program fees. Treehouse appreciates monetary donations online here or donate via check. Please make checks payable to Treehouse and mail to: Treehouse, 2100 24th Avenue S., Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98144. You can also purchase a gift from their Dreamlist to be distributed through their free store. Ship to: Treehouse Store Dreamlist, 2100 24th Ave S, Suite 100, Seattle, WA, 98144.
United Way of King County
United Way of King County works with many local nonprofits to help make the holiday season a little brighter for those in need. For ways to help, check out United Way’s holiday volunteering list, or its in-kind volunteer list.
This Seattle community service agency has a mission to help families facing homelessness in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. It provides housing, early learning, trauma counseling, and more. Though Wellspring doesn’t have an option to adopt a family, Wellspring’s Giving Together Gift Drive 2025.
You can host a gift drive, display giving tree tags, shop the children’s wishlist on Amazon, or make a donation. Please ensure your new and unwrapped gift items are delivered to the Wellspring Family Store donation center at 1900 Rainier Avenue S., Seattle, by December 8th, 2025.
YWCA Gift-Giving Program
YWCA’s holiday giving program helps more than 1,000 families annually in King and Snohomish counties. Here’s how it works for 2025: First, YWCA requests that people register by November 24th to be matched with a family. The YWCA would like to give each family the following (and they asked that it be postmarked by Dec. 8th):
- A $150 gift card for groceries for the head of the household
- Two $75 gift cards for each child to the two stores of their choice
Once matched, you’ll receive information about the family or families you are supporting, including names, ages, interests, and their store gift card requests. If you are unable to support a family but still want to help, you can drop off or mail gift cards to the addresses below. Preferred cards are Target, Fred Meyer, and Walmart, and individual gift cards will be combined to give to unmatched families. Please include activation codes with your gift cards.
King County donors: Drop off gift cards at Phillis Wheatley Branch, 2820 East Cherry Street in Seattle, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on December 3-5, 2025. Snohomish County donors: Drop off gift cards from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the following dates and locations:
- Wednesday, December 3, at the Everett Regional Center, 3301 Broadway, Everett.
- Thursday, December 4, and Friday, December 5, at the Pathways for Women Shelter, 6027 208th St SW, Lynnwood.
More Ways to Help
Want to spread even more holiday cheer? Seattle families can give in all kinds of meaningful ways. Our toy drives guide offers easy, kid-friendly ideas for donating new toys and essentials, and our list of holiday volunteer opportunities highlights places where extra hands are especially welcome this time of year. Whether you give time, gifts, or support from afar, it all adds up for families who need it most.
