Since 1938, the Red Stocking Fund has ensured that the holidays are filled with good cheer for countless Island children who might otherwise go without. “We let our hearts fill up with the joy we get out of this,” co-chair Susie Wallo says about the massive coordination necessary to make sure that more than 300 young people receive a bounty of gifts during the holiday season.
The all-volunteer organization began with Addie Crist, a member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven. She and a few fellow parishioners knitted six actual red stockings, filling them with “something to eat, something to wear, and something to play with,” and distributed them to children who would have otherwise experienced a bleak holiday season. In subsequent years, the program expanded and was administered by nurses in the Island schools. In 1986, it became incorporated as the Red Stocking Fund, and it has thrived ever since.
In the early days, children might find hand-knit socks or mittens, an orange, or a candy cane in their stockings. Today, kids newborn through eighth grade receive pajamas, socks, underwear, mittens or gloves, a hat, and –– for those 3 and under –– diapers. Parents also select three items from the five options, all bought locally: a winter coat, snow pants, a warm outfit, sneakers, or winter boots. Every child likewise receives at least one book, a puzzle, and school and art supplies.
Red Stocking also strives to ensure each child gets at least one gift of their dreams, excluding electronics. “It could be a princess Barbie or some kind of special Lego,” says Wallo. “But we’re Santa Claus; we throw in a few other things.”
While clothing and supplies are covered through monetary donations, the toys are donated entirely by the community, including those collected from the Edgartown Police Department’s Stuff-a-Bus and Oak Bluffs EMS and Fire Department’s Stuff-an-Ambulance toy drives.
It is not elves but dedicated board members and volunteers who make this enormous effort possible. Coordination begins as soon as a parent or guardian submits the online application. Along with co-chair Sandy Joyce, Wallo reviews the applicant’s financial need, and then assigns each child a number to keep them anonymous throughout the process. The need is great. Dukes County is one of the most expensive places to live in Massachusetts, and very often a family’s income does not cover basic needs like rent, utilities, and food. Joyce and Wallo create a large spreadsheet with each child’s details, including their selections, height, weight, and size. Volunteer shoppers then buy the clothing. Everything remains at the stores until the week of assembly, when the volunteers bring it to St. Augustine’s in Vineyard Haven. Then the board and volunteers collaborate to pack everything for distribution.
Every year, businesses, individuals, or families sponsor a child or siblings. The sponsors receive the wish list, which includes the child’s height, weight, size, and desires, and then purchase the items themselves. Wallo remarks, “So many sponsoring families have told us over the years that this helps their children understand the true meaning of the holiday season. The [family’s] children get to pick out the books, as well as the school and art supplies. They do the whole thing, making Christmas for this child. Sometimes, people get so involved in it, they say, ‘All right, we’re going to get something special for the parent.’ It truly helps foster the joy of giving, because when you give, you get more back.” She adds, “There have been people who end up sponsoring because they said, ‘I needed you at one point in time and you were there for me, and now I want to give back.’ This community is incredible, how it reaches out and wants to help.”
Joyce reflects, “It brings us so much joy when we distribute — the hugs we get, or the photographs from the family of their child on a new bike. To be part of making that magic happen is really powerful.”
Monetary donations can be made online at theredstockingfund.org or by check to the Red Stocking Fund,P.O. Box 600, Edgartown, MA 02539. For more information, call 508-776-0801 or 508-776-6050, or email theredstockingfund@gmail.com.