Provide holiday gifts for kids in foster care
The Christmas in July gift drive is hosted by Chick-fil-A Albemarle Road & Mint Hill in partnership with Congregations for Kids. All gifts given will go directly to youth in foster care during the 2024 holiday season.
How does it work?
Tuesday July 16th, 6AM-10PM
Exclusively at Chick-fil-A Albemarle Road or Mint Hill stores.
Purchase a gift for a kid in foster care (see wish lists below). Bring in the unwrapped toy during breakfast hours (6 AM-10:30 AM) and receive a free Chick-fil-A biscuit. Or bring in the unwrapped toy during lunch/dinner hours and receive a free Chick-fil-A sandwich.
Chick-fil-a | albemarle road
9010 Albemarle Rd, Charlotte, NC 28227
chick-fil-a | Mint Hill
7404 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Mint Hill, NC 28227
By participating in the Christmas in July toy drive, you are helping support kids in foster care living with relatives who have limited resources or are living in group homes, emergency shelters, hospitals, or in therapeutic settings. For many kids in these situations, these gifts will be the only ones they receive this holiday season. Thank you!
“WANTS & NEEDS” WISH LISTS
All items collected through our Christmas in July event will go directly to youth in the foster care system through our Merry Market event in December or through our CAREnow® program.
We’ve made your shopping easier and created lists of our top requested wants & needs from over the years!
-
Did you know that there are over 40 schools in CMS alone that require school uniforms? This is often a big need for kids entering foster care if they are switching school.
Our most requested school uniform items are: Uniform polos - white/navy and khaki shorts/pants in Girls and Boys size Small through XL as well as Men/Women sizes Small/Med/Large.
Other needs:
Underwear- Boys/Girls 6-16
Underwear - Women/Men S-L.
Sports bras, all sizes
Kids summer (warm weather) pajamas - all sizes, infant through teen.
Grocery and gas gift cards ($50 increments work best)
Sweatshirts for teens, all sizes (Name brand preferred: Champion, Nike, Addidas, etc.)
Spanish/English children’s books
-
INFANTS/BABIES
Multi-ethnic dolls
Sorting/nesting/stacking/shape toys, blocks
Pull/push/musical toys, V-tech, electronic education toys
PRE-SCHOOL/KIDS
Multi-ethnic dolls & Barbies, especially those where you can style their hair
Educational, interactive toys or science kits
Bikes, ride-on toys, scooters
Sturdy cars or trucks, remote control cars and trucks
Role play toys (kitchen sets, dress-up costumes, workshops & tools, lawn keeping)
Action/superhero figures, animal/dinosaur figures and play sets (Esp. TV & movie characters like Marvel, DC, Paw Patrol, Doc McStuffins, Disney Princess, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers etc.)
Building blocks & construction sets, Legos
YOUTH/TEENS
Arts/crafts supplies, kits (e.g., tie-dying, candle-making, jewelry-making, etc.)
Hair accessories (bands, bows), make up, cosmetics, lip gloss, fragrance & cologne (men's and women's)
Cool lamps and bedroom décor, LED light strips
Hoop earrings, fake eyelashes, nail polish
Headphones, wireless earbuds, mp3 players, Blutooth speaker
Electronic drawing pads
Pokemon Cards
Journals, notebooks, drawing or sketching supplies
Decorative pillows, blankets
Fanny packs, small purses, small backpacks, sling bags
Water bottles (name-brand)
Jewelry for teens
ALL
Puzzles & games for all ages
Crafts & art supplies
Sporting goods and accessories, balls, outdoor play items
Bikes, skates, roller blades, skateboards, scooters and helmets/pads
FAQ’s
-
No problem! You can drop off your gifts any Tuesday in July from 9:30am - 1:00pm, mail gifts directly to our CFK office, or order off of our Amazon wishlist here!
CFK Christmas in July
5835 Executive Center Drive Ste 100
Charlotte, NC 28212
-
No. Foster care is such a fluid situation and we cannot predict which children will be in care or where they will be living by Christmas time. Our wish-lists are designed to help you purchase our top requested needs and items by both the kids themselves and their social workers who shop for them during Merry Market in December. Read more about the programs these gifts will support below.
-
Christmas in July serves two purposes. The first is to give your entire family or group of friends/co-workers an opportunity to come serve and engage in all four of CFK’s pathways in one afternoon. The second is to help support CFK’s Merry Market event in December which provides gifts to kids in foster care during the holidays. For some, the gifts received through Merry Market will be the only gifts they receive all year. Read more about Merry Market below!
-
Please leave the gifts unwrapped as they will be displayed during our Merry Market for social workers to come “shop” for the kids on their caseloads in December.