OUR PROJECTS

The Christmas Store.

What is the Christmas Store?

Each year, hundreds of children in St. Charles are given the gift of Christmas through generous toy and monetary donations from local partners and generous individuals just like you! The Christmas Store was designed to help both parents and children. For parents with financial or family hardship, it offers a sense of empowerment to make Christmas special for their kids by personally selecting and purchasing new gifts for their children at drastically reduced prices (around 10-20% of retail). Families experiencing hardship do not want to be defined by their need and often have a difficult time accepting charity. The Christmas Store's goal is to give parents a strong sense of pride and dignity as they personally select and purchase new gifts for their kids without going into financial hardship. For many of these families, the opportunity to participate in the Christmas Store is the difference between having presents under the tree or not having Christmas at all.

How Does it work?

Serve St. Charles is a local 501(c)3 nonprofit that works closely with school counselors and social workers in the City of St. Charles and Orchard Farm school districts to identify families with the greatest need. Serve St. Charles will invite as many referred families as possible based on the donations received. After accepting our invitation, parents are able to visit the Store, choose gifts they believe their children will love, and purchase them at drastically reduced pricing. In 2025, more than 600 children representing 200 families were served at Christmas.