Christmas in the City is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization that supports and mentors Boston's homeless population. Help us spread the word!
Our major annual event is our holiday party for more than 3,000 homeless children. It was a traditional, joyous Christmas at the Kennedy home in a suburban Boston community. The table was set with traditional holiday fare and the fragrance of fresh baked cookies and cakes dropped off by family and friends mixed with the aroma of lovingly prepared food. The Kennedy children’s stockings were stuffed
and hung heavily from the fireplace mantel. The tree, glistening with decorations and tinsel was surrounded by gifts and toys for the children from grandparents, aunts and uncles and the Kennedy’s large extended family. Toys and gifts spilled out across the living room rug. More toys than the children could possible play with, more gifts than they could use…many of which would end up in a closet or in the back of the garage. The house was filled with joy. Yet Jake and Sparky Kennedy felt something was missing…how to engage their children not simply with the joy of receiving gifts but with the Spirit of Christmas…kindness, good will, sharing with others. And, as Jake succinctly put it, “Showing the kids that it wasn’t just all about them”. The next year the Kennedys expanded their Christmas tradition. With friends, co-workers, and clients of Kennedy Brothers Physical Therapy volunteering their time and donating gifts and money, Christmas in the City was born. That first year 165 mothers and children from Boston Homeless Shelters were guests at a party at Boston City Hall, with festive decorations, games, a holiday meal and a gift for each child that the child had asked Santa to deliver. In the two decades since Christmas in the City has expanded its scope. In 2010 the spectacular party hosted over 3000 children and parents from homeless shelters from Boston and surrounding communities. A banquet, live entertainment, a Winter Wonderland with games, rides, a petting zoo, kid friendly activities from the Museum of Science and the Children’s Museum, a day in a stress free, safe environment made up the activities and each child received a personalized gift from Santa which the child had wished for. In addition, CITC distributed toys and gifts to almost 2000 families who could not be accommodated at the event. Christmas in the City is now engaged in activities throughout the year. A Thanksgiving food distribution for families in need; an Adopt-a-Family program to assist families transitioning from a shelter to their own home; assisting homeless families providing support to help finding employment, financial aid and legal advise, daycare and other help to get back on their feet. But Christmas in the City has never lost sight of its core value, the spirit of the season–kindness, good will and caring for our neighbors. And we do it with no paid staff, no paid executive director, no paid fund raising or development team. Christmas in the City works as a 100% volunteer organization where members of the community, from all backgrounds and walks of life, donate their time, donate money and gifts and do what they can to help their neighbors have “The Best Day of the Year”. Christmas in the City Volunteers, who include the Kennedy children, do everything. They solicit donations of toys and money, set tables, decorate the party site, drive trucks, load and unload those trucks, wait tables, in-put data, answer phones, distribute toys, clean up and sweep the floor when the party is over.
12/16/2024
Christmas in the City is in desperate need of gifts for kids over 6 and gift cards for younger teens. We have had an incredible outpouring of support this year but also an incredible need - if you can donate a toy or gift card, please do. We are accepting gifts until December 22nd at 34 Bromfield Street in Boston and donations through our website. An updated list of most wanted toys is here: https://christmasinthecity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CITC-Most-Wanted-Toys-2024-updated-12.15.docx
Toys or gift cards can be dropped off at 34 Bromfield Street until December 22 between the hours of 11AM-6PM on December 16-18 and 8AM-8PM on December 19-22.
Toys can also be dropped off at the Seaport Hotel (One Seaport Lane, Boston) 24 hours a day through Thursday, December 19. Toys can be dropped off at the hotel’s valet or the lobby.
Thank you so much for your support!
12/14/2024
One more sleep! Presents are wrapped, decorations are hung (and handmade by our fabulous volunteers ), and backpacks are packed with essential items for all of our guests.
We are so excited! But the work doesn’t end here…
12/14/2024
We are SO proud to have one of our own be honored for her incredible impact.
Max Julien has been announced as the First Impact Free Jack presented by Mass Lottery Honoree!
Max tirelessly runs our Jake’s Toy Mania - named after our legendary founder Jake Kennedy - alongside her full time job as a paralegal. The operation is a marathon of logistics and organization, and Max excels at it year over year.
Read the full article at the link in our bio!
As we kick off this weekend of holiday magic, what better time to share this wonderful news. We are so proud, so well deserved!
12/13/2024
Help Wanted!
We are in need of media coverage on the day of our big party - this weekend! Sunday is preferable but Saturday would be great too.
Calling all photographers, journalists, and media!
How fun is this? Christmas Time in the City - a benefit concert for Christmas in the City
Ft. Santa’s Brand New Bag
A night of soul/R&B Christmas classics with a modern twist!
December 21st - Show at 7:30PM
Link in our bio for tickets - this is such a great way to support Christmas in the City. 🎵 🎄
12/11/2024
Our team and the big guy [🎅🏼] put in the work tonight!
This is one of our favorite events of the season. Rolling burritos with Santa all in support for Christmas in the City.
Huge thank you to and anyone who stopped in as we get ready to host our events this season!
12/09/2024
It never stops being amazing to see all the wonderful groups around Boston hosting events in connection with Christmas in the City.
This Wednesday - Come check out Noise for Toys! The event is hosted by The Ash Gray Proclamation. Details:
Where: - Deep Cuts Brewery in Medford
When: December 11th @ 7PM
Who: Andrew Cohen (Silkworm/Bottomless Pit) See You At Rogers
$18 or $10 with a toy donation
12/04/2024
Tomorrow is the day! Get tickets for our Christmas in the City Annual Auction! Link in Bio
Come join us at the Seaport Hotel for food, drinks, entertainment and amazing auction prizes, as we get ready to kick off this season of giving.
We have so much in store to give back to our community this holiday season and we need your help to do it. All proceeds from the auction and the fundraiser will go directly to helping us deliver the holiday spirit to those in need.
12/03/2024
We are in unprecedented times. The number of Massachusetts families living in homeless shelters, emergency shelters, and hotels is unmatched. Our communities are in crisis trying to provide basic necessities to folks most in need, whether they are families here for generations or families who just arrived in this country.
Behind the headlines, beyond politics, and away from toxic social media, are real children in your community that could use a little magic this season. Let’s remind them that no one has forgotten about them. Let’s remind them that they deserve magic.
Christmas in the City is a 100% volunteer-run organization - every dime you donate goes toward our mission to help bring Christmas joy to children experiencing homelessness.
Are you ready to answer the call to spread unprecedented joy?
11/27/2024
We are so excited to kick off the holiday season! This year we have so many great events and collaborations - there are so many fun ways to help us out this holiday season. Attend one of our events and learn more about us this December!
Dec 5th - pick up an amazing auction prize in support of CITC at the
Dec 7th - Get festive at The Green at - $5 entry proceeds go to CITC
Dec 10th - Meet Santa at and grab a burrito for dinner
Dec 11th - Stuff the Sleigh at with and checked out the Enchanted Village
Dec 11th - Then head back in with for a live show and toy collection
Dec 21st - Sing along to an amazing Christmastime Concert at
11/26/2024
Our 2024 drop-off locations are live! In alphabetical order by town, please find below all of our Boston-area partners who have so generously opened up their businesses to allow us to collect toys! Drop off a toy and be sure to check out what they have to offer!
Want your business to be the top-listed Government Service in Boston?
12/16/2024
12/14/2024
12/14/2024
12/13/2024
12/12/2024
12/11/2024
12/09/2024
12/04/2024
12/03/2024
11/27/2024
11/26/2024