Giving Tree

Collecting donations for the families of Christmas Program at MCH

Above: Christmas Program collects donations of brand new toys, books, games, clothes, and winter essentials throughout the year and are distributes them to families who are facing financial hardship during the holiday season.

What is Giving Tree?

Giving Tree is a three-month campaign leading up to the winter season in which local businesses or organizations generously volunteer to support Christmas Program at Maine Children’s Home (MCH) in one or more of the following ways:

1. Hosting a Giving Tree display

A Giving Tree is a display decorated with “Giving Tree Tags” — paper tags inscribed with specific gift requests from children whose families receive gifts from Christmas Program during the holiday season.

Businesses generously host Giving Tree displays in their lobbies and/or employee breakrooms, offering anyone who sees the Giving Tree display an opportunity to take a Giving Tree Tag. Anyone who takes a Giving Tree Tag gets to purchase the gift request on the tag and drops the gift off at a Giving Tree donation collection spot (locations are listed below) or a the MCH campus (more details are below).

2. Holding a toy drive

Businesses can organize a toy drive through which they encourage their employees and customers to donate items that children are requesting this year on Christmas Program’s Urgent Needs List.
 

3. Becoming a donation collection spot

Businesses can be a designated donation collection location for donors to drop-off donations of items on Christmas Program’s Urgent Needs List.
 

4. Display a Giving Tree poster in your business

Businesses can request a poster that lists QR codes to the Maine Children's Home Paypal, Venmo, and Amazon Wishlist to make it easy for their employees or customers to give online.

5. Signing up to do all of the above!

Christmas Program staff collect all of the donated gifts from businesses and organizations collecting donations, and distribute those donations to the families who signed up for holiday assistance.

Sign up to participate in the Giving Tree campaign

If you and your business would like to host a Giving Tree display, hold a toy drive, become a donation collection spot, or all of the above, please contact Amanda Simmons for more information.

Where can Giving Tree Displays be found this year?

This giving season, displays of Giving Trees Tags — paper tags inscribed with specific gift requests from children — can be found at the following locations in Maine:

Connected Credit Union (2 locations)
85 Civic Center Dr, Augusta
12 Monument St, Winslow

Apollo Salon & Spa
91 Silver St, Waterville

Camden National Bank
258 Kennedy Memorial Dr, Waterville

Candy Hollow
856 Kennedy Memorial Dr, Oakland

Cohen Center
22 Town Farm Rd, Hallowell

Colby College Museum of Art
5600 Mayflower Hill Dr, Waterville, ME 04901

Duckie Buddies Bakery & Cafe
54 Main St, Oakland

Fish Tails Pet Emporium
28 College Ave, Waterville

NRF
485 Old Belgrade Rd, Augusta

Retail Therapy Consignment Boutique
270 Kennedy Memorial Dr, Waterville

Sunrise Bagel
31 Water St, Waterville

Upbeat Nutrition
272 Kennedy Memorial Dr, Waterville

WatervilleCreates
93 Main St, Waterville

Wave Lengths Beauty Salon
888 Kennedy Dr, Oakland

Yardgoods Center
60 Concourse W, Waterville

Anyone who takes a Giving Tree Tag gets to purchase the gift request on the tag and drops the gift off at a Giving Tree donation collection spot (locations are listed below) or a the MCH campus (more details are below).

Where are Giving Tree donation collection spots?

Anyone making a donation of a brand new items to Christmas Program, whether it’s from a Giving Tree Tag or not, can drop off their donation at the following business locations:

Colby College Museum of Art
5600 Mayflower Hill Dr, Waterville, ME 04901

Holy Cannoli
70 Main St Suite 300, Waterville

People's Salon & Spa
18 Temple St, Waterville

Foley’s Fitness - Scarborough
33 Haigis Pkwy, Scarborough

Mainly Tubs- Scarborough
415 Payne Rd, Scarborough

NRF
485 Old Belgrade Rd, Augusta

WatervilleCreates
93 Main St, Waterville

Donations can also be dropped off at the Maine Children’s Home (MCH) campus in Waterville. The "Donation Drop-Off Point" is the basement door on the right side of the Evergreen Building (the 2nd building on the right after entering the MCH campus at 93 Silver Street in Waterville). Donors can drive around the back side of the Evergreen Building to access the Donation Drop-Off Point. Donations can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Those who drop off donations are asked to please fill out a donation slip to leave with their donation bag or box, and to label their donation with “ATTN: Christmas Program.”  

Thank you to all the businesses and organizations who have volunteered to support Christmas Program this year!

The following businesses and organizations are participating in the Giving Tree campaign this year with Giving Tree displays in their employee break rooms or their own toy drives. Thank you!

Charlies Honda

Chateau Cushnoc

Crooker Construction, LLC

Elanco

Foley's Fitness Center, LLC

Four Seasons Family Practice

JCPenney in Waterville

Kleinfelder

Maine Molecular Quality Controls Inc

NEUCO

Northern Light Inland Hospital

Pleasant Street United Methodist Church

Reform Physical Therapy

TNT Dance Studio

UPS

About Christmas Program

Christmas Program at Maine Children’s Home (MCH) is the only one of its kind that provides brand new toys, books, games, warm clothing, and winter essentials to 1,100 Maine children whose families are facing financial hardship during the holiday season. It’s a year-round effort that would be impossible without generous donations, volunteers, and community support.