Thanksgiving & Christmas 2026 · Chicago

No Child Should Wake Up to an Empty Holiday.

Help us bring turkeys to family tables, warm coats and shoes to cold shoulders and bare feet, and gifts to kids who have stopped expecting any. Right here in Chicago.

100% of donations process securely through GoFundMe · Local Chicago organizers

No one has ever become poor by giving. When we feed the hungry and clothe the cold, we become the hands of God here on earth. This season, let love be the gift that reaches every door in Chicago.

Chicago · Winter 2026

Somewhere tonight,

a mother is quietly doing the math.

Rent · Heat · Holidays

The bills don’t pause
for Christmas.

Kids learn not to ask. Parents learn not to promise.

Our neighbors

Not strangers.
Same trains. Same streets.

They love their families as fiercely as we love ours.

This season

One turkey. One coat.
One pair of boots. One gift.

That’s how hope lands in someone’s hands.

Why This Matters

Somewhere in Chicago tonight, a mother is quietly doing the math: rent, the heating bill, and the holidays that are coming whether she’s ready or not. Her kids have already learned not to ask for much. A man who used to work just a few blocks from here is sleeping under a viaduct, in shoes worn through by the first snow.

These aren’t strangers. They’re our neighbors. They ride the same trains, walk the same streets, and love their families just as fiercely as we love ours.

The holidays are supposed to feel like warmth. For too many families in our city, they feel like one more thing they can’t afford.

This season, we’re changing that, one turkey, one coat, one pair of shoes, one wrapped gift at a time. Every dollar you give becomes something real in someone’s hands: a Thanksgiving dinner that brings a family back to the same table, a coat that makes a Chicago January survivable, a present that tells a child someone thought of you.

We can’t do it alone. With you, we can do something beautiful.

Illustration of a family sharing a Thanksgiving dinner at home while snow falls outside their window.

Our Goal: $80,000 for Our Neighbors

$0 raised of $80,000

0% of the way there. Be one of the first to give.

Thanksgiving is in —

~800 Family meals
~1,200 Coats & warm layers
~600 Pairs of winter shoes
~1,500 Gifts for kids

What Your Gift Provides

Everything we raise goes toward four things our neighbors need most this winter.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Full holiday meals — turkey and the trimmings — for families who’d otherwise go without.

~35% of funds

Coats & Warm Clothes

Coats, hats, gloves, socks and blankets for kids, families, and people living outside.

~30% of funds

New Shoes & Boots

Sturdy, dry footwear for winter, because no one should walk through snow in worn-out shoes.

~20% of funds

Christmas Gifts for Kids

New toys, books and presents so every child has something to unwrap on Christmas morning.

~15% of funds

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Full holiday meals — turkey and the trimmings — for families who’d otherwise go without.

Coats & Warm Clothes

Coats, hats, gloves, socks and blankets for kids, families, and people living outside.

New Shoes & Boots

Sturdy, dry footwear for winter, because no one should walk through snow in worn-out shoes.

Christmas Gifts for Kids

New toys, books and presents so every child has something to unwrap on Christmas morning.

Where every dollar is planned to go

Thanksgiving meals & turkeys
35%
Coats, hats, gloves & warm layers
30%
Winter shoes & boots
20%
Christmas gifts for kids
15%

No salaries. No office rent. Funds go to goods and local distribution. Platform fees are set by GoFundMe.

See What Your Gift Can Do

Pick an amount, or give whatever is on your heart.

Suggested amounts are estimates the organizer can edit to reflect actual costs.

How We Distribute in Chicago

Your gift goes straight from our hands to our neighbors’. No middlemen.

Illustration of volunteers handing out food boxes, coats, and wrapped gifts at a snowy Chicago street-corner event.

  1. We Buy in Bulk

    Donations are pooled to buy turkeys, coats, shoes and toys at the lowest possible prices, and stretched further with in-kind donations from local businesses.

  2. We Partner Locally

    We work with community centers, churches, schools and shelters to find the families and individuals who need help most.

  3. We Show Up

    Volunteers hand out meals and gifts at community events and bring warm clothes directly to people living on the street.

  4. We Show You

    We’ll post photos, receipts and updates on our fundraiser page so you can see exactly where your money went.

Main distribution hub: 7114 S Vincennes Ave, Chicago, IL 60621 (Englewood)
Thanksgiving week (Nov. 23) & Christmas week (Dec. 14–23) · Questions or directions? Call (212) 742-2301.

Corporate & Business Sponsors

Put your company’s name behind something Chicago will remember. Sponsors are recognized on this site, on our fundraiser page, and at distribution events.

Volunteer or Get Involved

Not everyone can give money, and that’s okay. Everything is handled online or by phone — no drop-offs, no door-to-door collection, ever.

Give Items

Want to donate coats, socks, shoes or toys instead of money? Call or text (212) 742-2301 and we’ll arrange a safe, scheduled pick-up. We never ask for cash in person.

Spread the Word

Share this page with friends, your workplace, your church or your block club. Every share can mean another family fed.

Giving Safely Matters

There are too many fake fundraisers out there. Here’s exactly how you can check us out before you give a single dollar.

Secure Donations Only

Every donation goes through our verified GoFundMe campaign — a secure platform with donor protection. We never see your card number, and we never collect cash, wire transfers, gift cards, or payment apps.

Receipts & Photo Updates

After every distribution we post photos, receipts, and a full breakdown of what was spent where — right on our fundraiser page and this site. You give it, you see it.

Chicago Neighbors, Not Strangers

This is a local, community-led effort for Chicago families. The organizer’s name, contact info, and distribution locations are listed right here — nothing hidden.

Questions

Is this fundraiser legitimate?

Yes — and we want you to check us out. Every donation is processed by GoFundMe, a platform with its own fraud protections and refund policies. We publish receipts, photos, and spending breakdowns after every distribution, and you can call or text us directly at (212) 742-2301 with any question before or after you give.

How do I know my donation is safe?

Your payment never touches us. You donate on GoFundMe’s secure, encrypted checkout — we never see your card details. We also never ask for cash, wire transfers, gift cards, Venmo/Zelle/CashApp, or any unusual payment method. If anyone claiming to represent us asks for those, it is a scam. Report it to us right away.

Where does my money go?

Directly to turkeys and holiday meals, coats and warm clothing, shoes, and gifts for kids in Chicago. We’ll share updates and photos on our fundraiser page.

How do I donate?

Click any “Donate” button. You’ll be taken to our secure fundraiser page. We never collect card details on this site.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

This is a community-led fundraiser. Unless and until a registered nonprofit fiscal sponsor is listed here, donations should not be considered tax-deductible. [Update if you partner with a registered nonprofit]

Who is organizing this?

The Chicagons — a family of blessed Chicago neighbors who believe nobody in our city should spend the holidays cold, hungry, or forgotten.

Can my company sponsor or match?

Yes. See sponsor levels above, or contact chicagoholidayhope@gmail.com. Many employers also match personal gifts.

What happens if you raise more than $80,000?

Every extra dollar goes to more families: more meals, more coats, and more gifts, and anything left continues into winter support.

This Holiday, Be the Reason Someone Believes in Kindness Again.

A turkey. A coat. A pair of boots. A gift with a child’s name on it. It’s small to us. It’s everything to them.