In 2015, the Fatherhood Foundation of Virginia was chosen as a recipient of the inaugural Richmond Christmas Mother Fund and a Christmas tradition was born.
The Father Christmas program was started to recognize great dads who were facing hardships and did not qualify for other programs. These are dads who are working two jobs, have fallen on hard times, or just need a little extra help making Christmas special for their families.
A decade later, Father Christmas is going strong. The concept is simple. People nominate deserving dads by filling out a short form. Nominations can come from anyone: family members, coworkers, friends, wives, and former partners, too. A committee chooses the dads, who are then honored at an event.
Helping Families Have Merrier Holidays
The first year, the Fatherhood Foundation honored ten dads at the Jefferson Hotel with a banquet, a $100 gift card, and gift certificates for an oil change, car wash, and hair cut. These unsuspecting dads were treated to a wonderful meal, and they each heard why they were nominated. There were dads from surrounding counties, Charlottesville, and Virginia Beach.
In four years, the number of dads honored through Father Christmas increased from ten to twenty-five.
There was a father who was legally blind and cared for his children and his wife; a father whose family had recently lost everything in a fire; a father who was battling cancer while working hard to provide for his family; and a father who set up a tent in his living room and slept with his kids to keep them warm during the winter after his heat had been cut off.
As the fourth annual Father Christmas program rolled out, a board member suggested surprising one random dad with $500. After the event concluded and that lucky father shared the impact the extra money would have on his family’s quality of life, the Fatherhood Foundation team knew it was time to increase the amount of the Father Christmas grant.
Going into its fifth year in 2019, the event moved from The Jefferson to Hill City, a non-denominational church in the Fan. That year, ten dads received $500 in cash, gift cards, and a meal for their family.
Keeping the Christmas Spirit Alive
Then came the pandemic. The Fatherhood Foundation pivoted to make sure the Father Christmas program lived on. A drive-thru was created so families did not have to get out of their car. First stop, hot chocolate and cookies. Next, a visit with Santa. After speaking with the children, the attention turned to the dads. Santa shared the dad’s nomination and gave him $500. During the pandemic, Santa’s Workshop was added. Here, volunteers filled the dad’s car with gifts using the list that the nominator secretly shared with the dad’s gift requests. The last stop was a takeout dinner to enjoy safely at home.
This pandemic-motivated Father Christmas system lasted about five or ten minutes for each dad, but memories were made that will last a lifetime. One of the most memorable visits was a little girl who was battling cancer. She was so excited to see Santa, but her tracheotomy kept her from speaking. Her dad was battling COVID-19 complications and medical bills were piling up. Little did Santa know that this would be her last Christmas. A kind note from her family stating that this event allowed them to have the best Christmas ever with their little girl made all the hard work worthwhile. Last year, a dad who had recently been seriously injured in a car crash and whose wife died received a car through the Father Christmas program.
Nominate a Local Dad to Receive a Father Christmas Grant
During the past nine years, the Fatherhood Foundation has honored nearly 200 men, provided presents for hundreds of children, and distributed more than $60,000 to deserving dads. This year, another twenty-five dads in the greater Richmond area and surrounding counties will be honored, and one dad will receive a car. Ten dads in the Hampton Roads area will also receive visits from Santa and $500 in cash.
The Fatherhood Foundation is committed to working harder to reach out to more families with dads who are eligible for the Father Christmas grant – spreading Christmas joy to as many families as possible.
Wondering how you can help?
If you, your business, or your civic group are interested in sponsoring a dad and/or adopting a family, go to SupportFatherChristmas.org. If you would like to nominate a dad, go to FatherChristmasVA.org before November 15, 2024. With your help we can continue to grow this holiday tradition in Virginia, recognizing great fathers and making Christmas wishes come true.
