ORLANDO, Fla. – While kids around the world are busy writing letters to Santa detailing what toys they want under the Christmas Tree this year, some Central Florida kids are writing letters with a different wish.
With messages like, “Dear Santa, I want to be around people who believe in me,” and “Dear Santa, I want a safe place to play after school,” kids at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida are asking Santa for a safe place and brighter future.
Officials with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida say it’s all part of an effort to raise awareness and money for the non-profit.
“What’s really striking is that they’re not asking for toys,” said Jamie Merrill, President and CEO for Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida. “They’re asking four mentors that believe in them, caring adults, a place where they can explore career paths and skill development, academic success, because that’s what they need, that’s what they see. The vision is in the long term and not just with a toy that they’re going to outgrow in one season.”
The Boys and Girls Clubs’ mission is to give kids a positive place where they can learn and grow in a safe environment. In fact, Merrill says, some 13,000 kids across Central Florida attend a Boys and Girls Club throughout the year. The kids work with reading and math mentors while participating in activities like music, art, robotics and more.
Merrill says it costs the club about $2,500 each year to serve just one child, but they only charge about $40 a year for an annual membership fee.
“Over 50% of the kids that we serve on a daily basis are teenagers. They’re choosing to come to us every single day, which is why they’re asking for this. They’re asking for more career exploration. They’re asking for more opportunities,” said Merrill. “Literacy, as we continue to see rates declining (nationwide), we are having 97% of our children promoted to the next grade level and because they are on track, 100% of our kids are graduating high school every single year.”
To learn more about the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Dear Santa letters and how you can help out, head to giving.bgccf.org/page/givegreat2025.