Before It Had a Name: Our First Wishlist Giveaway

Before "Stockings for Teens" had a name, it was just an idea: what if foster teens didn't just receive something for Christmas — what if they received exactly what they asked for?

Last Christmas, in partnership with Comeback Kids Society, Santa's Crew Foundation set out to answer that question. Ten foster teens submitted personal wishlists, and thanks to proceeds from the Melanated Christmas Ball and our Photos with Mr. & Mrs. Claus fundraiser, every single wish was fulfilled.

Delivering gifts to Comeback Kids Society

Watching a teen unwrap something they actually asked for — not something chosen for them, but something that told them someone was listening — is what this whole mission is built on.

Gifts on Christmas morning.

This program didn't have a name yet when we did it. It just felt right. Today, we know it as Stockings for Teens, and it's become one of the ways Santa's Crew Foundation shows up for foster and kinship youth year-round — not just during the holidays, but in the moments that let them feel like any other teenager: seen, celebrated, and given a choice.

A huge thank you to Comeback Kids Society for partnering with us, and to everyone who came to a Ball or snapped a photo with Mr. & Mrs. Claus — your support became real gifts, in real hands, for real kids who deserved to be asked, "What do you want for Christmas?