Community is about sharing life’s joy and lifting each other up. On Wednesday, July 19, Santa for a Day, a 501c(3) organization serving Evanston’s most under-represented and disadvantaged children, is hosting their annual Christmas in July benefit concert to raise funds for Evanston’s Family Focus.
Christmas in July promises to be a fun-filled, philanthropic night of music and goodwill to benefit some of Evanston’s most disadvantaged kids. In partnership with Evanston S.P.A.C.E., Northwestern University, Wintrust Bank, Byline Bank, Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and TrueNU, Christmas in July will benefit Evanston’s Family Focus.
Chicago ABC 7 Anchor and event emcee, Ravi Baichwal will guide the audience through a night of celebration, including musical performances from Chicago Music Awards “Most Outstanding Group” – Funkadesi along with opening act PrizeFighter. Local community leaders including Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, and NU Head Basketball Coach Chris Collins, among others, are scheduled to appear.
The evening will begin with a VIP hour at 5 p.m., offering light hors d’oeuvres and an exclusive opportunity to forge valuable connections with participating families, donors, community leaders, and sponsoring partners. General admission doors open at 6 p.m., and LIVE music entertainment will begin at 7 p.m. GA and VIP tickets are available via the organization’s website.
Santa for a Day matches private donors with economically disadvantaged children to help fulfill their letters to Santa. The organization serves children ages 5-12 from low-income, marginalized, and vulnerable communities – most of whom live 150% below the federal poverty line. Last year, Santa for a Day reached over 6,800 children and delivered almost 14,000 presents in Chicago and six other cities.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Santa for a Day to the Evanston community,” said Rich Gentile, Founder of Santa for a Day. “This event symbolizes our commitment to spreading holiday cheer all year round and creating meaningful impact in the lives of underserved children. We could not have done this without the wonderful partners and community members who support our cause through donations. We invite everyone to join us in this unforgettable evening of giving back and celebration.”
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Christmas in July is open for all ages. General admission tickets are priced at $50. VIP tickets are $125 and will secure early entry to the event, private seating and light hors d’oeuvres from 5-6 p.m. To purchase tickets, explore more ways to get involved, donate to Santa for a Day, and for more information on Santa for a Day, visit https://www.santaforaday.org/. Tickets are also available at the SPACE box office.
About Santa for a Day
Santa for a Day is a non-religiously affiliated Chicago-based 501(c)(3) public charity that provides holiday gifts, basic needs, and educational supplies for economically disadvantaged children living in urban public housing properties. Its aim is to show the power of goodness in the face of adversity through the holiday spirit, regardless of race, ethnicity, financial ability, gender, or religion.
Every year, thousands of underserved children throughout the United States write letters to Santa – and before Santa for a Day, many of those letters would go unread and unanswered. Santa for a Day partners directly with local housing authorities to provide letter writing events for children, then share redacted versions of those letters with donors, who can read the letters, select the gift they want to send and help make Christmas morning that much more special. Unlike other holiday charities, Santa for a Day fulfills specific and special wishes for each individual child, rather than functioning from a drop-off distribution model.
The organization serves children ages 5-12 from low-income, marginalized, and vulnerable communities – most of whom live 150% below the federal poverty line. Last year, Santa for a Day reached over 6,800 children and delivered almost 14,000 presents in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. This event will raise funds to welcome Evanston as SFAD’s 8th city!
Featured Image: Santa for a Day