Many families in our community are struggling to make ends meet and find a stable home. With your help, the holiday season can be a time when kids experience joy and excitement, and parents can have one less worry on their shoulders.
Our Holiday Wishes Drive helps infants through teens.
Get Started
Click below to learn more about the different ways you can help! To sign up for any of these opportunities, contact Gina Davio by emailing GetInvolved@homefrontnj.org or calling 609-989-9417 x 112.
Sponsor a Child (or Children)
The best way to help is by sponsoring a child or children! Email GetInvolved@HomeFrontNJ.org or call 609-989-9417 x112 and let us know how many children’s wishes you would like to grant! (Child-specific wish lists will be available late October/early November.) You'll receive instructions and information to help you purchase just what they like.
Other Ways to Help
Donate Toys/Gifts Items or Organize a Toy Drive
Can't sponsor a child? No worries, you can donate a toy or gift. Every bit makes a difference. We welcome new, unwrapped toys and gifts for babies through teens, as well as gift cards. Gift cards to Kohl's, Target,
Walmart, and Dick's Sporting Goods are especially useful for teenagers. You can shop in a store and drop off to us or use our Holiday Wishes Amazon List.
Want to work with a group? There's power in numbers! Organize a drive to collect new, unwrapped toys and gifts in bulk. This is perfect for businesses, schools, faith
communities, civic organizations, neighborhood groups, and more.
Volunteer
Ongoing volunteering may include sorting, organizing, packing, and other seasonal projects. Opportunities are based on current program needs and available capacity.
If you're an 18+ year old individual interested in volunteering for the Thanksgiving Drive, get started with our volunteer application here and register for one of the twice-monthly required virtual volunteer orientations at the top of the application.
If you're interested in volunteering with your workplace or another group, please fill out this group volunteer interest form, and we'll be in touch with you soon.
Click here for more information and FAQs about volunteering at HomeFront.
Donate Gift Cards
Gift cards are also helpful for our teens, especially cards to Kohl's, Target, Walmart, and Dick's Sporting Goods. You can also do a donation drive for gift cards as a group.
Donation Drop-off Information
You can drop off items starting November 23rd to the HomeFront Donation Center at 1880 Princeton Ave, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 during the following hours:
- Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm
- Saturday, 9am-12pm
The Donation Center is located at the third garage door, where we’re eager to greet you. We ask that you please do not leave donations when the Donation Center is closed.
FAQs
The best way to help is to sponsor a child or children and fulfill their individual wishes. Contact HomeFront between October 5 and December 7 to let us know how many children you would like to sponsor, and we will help you get started! Email GetInvolved@HomeFrontNJ.org or call 609-989-9417 x112.
Each child's wish list includes two gift requests. When you sponsor a specific child, we ask that you plan to honor both requests so that each sponsored child receives a complete Holiday Wishes experience.
We generally ask that individual gifts don't exceed approximately $75 in value. This is a guideline, not a required spending amount—you do not need to spend $75 on each gift. We simply want to help keep gifts reasonably consistent across the children participating in Holiday Wishes.
Yes. HomeFront cannot accept bicycles through the Holiday Wishes Drive. If a bicycle appears on a child’s wish list, please contact the Community Engagement team so we can help identify an appropriate alternative.
Yes! HomeFront also welcomes new, unwrapped toys and gifts for babies through teens, as well as gift cards. Gift cards to Kohl's, Target, Walmart, and Dick's Sporting Goods are especially useful for teenagers.
Please bring general toy and gift donations new and unwrapped. If you are sponsoring a specific child, please follow the labeling instructions below so we can make sure each gift reaches the correct child.
Please label each gift with the child's HomeFront code and first name. For example: JHD-001 – Maya. Please put the code and first name on each gift for that child so our team can accurately sort and distribute the gifts. Do not use the child's last name.
Please plan to deliver Holiday Wishes donations between November 23 and December 11, 2026. We know that schools, companies, and community groups sometimes need additional coordination time, so please contact us at GetInvolved@homefrontnj.org or 609-989-9417 x 112 if you are organizing a larger effort and need to discuss your delivery date.
Holiday Wishes distribution begins the week of December 14. Receiving gifts in advance gives our team time to organize, reconcile, and prepare gifts for families before distribution.
HomeFront Donation Center, 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. Donation Center hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm, and Saturday, 9:00am-12:00pm.
Yes. Our Donation Center or Front Desk team will ask you to complete an in-kind donation form. This helps HomeFront properly record and acknowledge community support!
Absolutely! Groups can sponsor one or more children, organize a toy/gift drive, or contact us to discuss a larger community effort.
Yes! Volunteer needs may include sorting, organizing, packing, and other seasonal projects. Opportunities are based on current program/team needs and available capacity.
Yes! Combining a volunteer project with a collection drive is a meaningful way for groups to support HomeFront. Because space and volunteer needs vary, please contact us using this group volunteer interest form before making plans so we can coordinate an appropriate opportunity.
Please reach out! We would rather talk through what is still most helpful than have a group decide not to participate because of timing. Needs can change as we get closer to distribution.
For any other questions, please contact: Gina Davio, Community Engagement Manager, at GetInvolved@HomeFrontNJ.org or 609-989-9417 ext. 112.
We are happy to help you determine the best way for your family, company, school, faith community, or organization to participate.
To sign up for any of these opportunities, contact Gina Davio by emailing GetInvolved@homefrontnj.org or calling 609-989-9417 x 112.