Santa's Stockings 2021

My name is Jon-Paul McGowan, and today and I am launching my third annual Santa’s Stockings campaign. This campaign raises funds to provide local charities with stockings filled with goodies, both practical and fun, to some of the more under-served in our communities. In the past two years I have raised over $5,000 in cash and goods to provide over 450 stockings to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County and the Samaritan Inn of McKinney.

To provide some background, I started this effort in 2019 to give something unique to the children served by the CACC. I wanted a way to bring a little Christmas joy, and reasoned I could provide stockings, keeping with the work I already do as Santa and have done since 2014. My work with the big guy started to honor my late little brother who loved Santa and had such a huge heart and love for everyone. He inspired me to share that love with others and bring joy to those in need.

This year I am looking to grow once again and reach more organizations. To do this, I would like to ask for your help. I am seeking either a donation to be put up for auction to raise funds, a donation of something to include in the stockings themselves, or a cash donation to the campaign to purchase materials to fill the stockings. Items requested in the past by the organizations have included: USB thumb drives for the adults to hold resumes and other job seeking materials, socks, hats, gloves, personal bottles of hand sanitizer, snacks, candy, and fast-food gift cards. I will officially launch this year’s campaign through Go Fund Me on October 1st, 2021.

Anything you can donate will be gratefully accepted and used to provide Christmas joy to those in need. Additionally, I am including the link to last year’s campaign, as well as the two organizations I have aided. Please look over these organizations and the great work they do in the community.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this project or the work I’ve done the past two years. As I am doing this on my own, not part of any organized group, I do not have tax exempt status, yet. Becoming a full non-profit is still a driving goal.

Yours,

Jon-Paul McGowan

Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County: https://www.caccollincounty.org/

Samaritan Inn of McKinney: https://saminn.org/