GFK History

The Gifts for Kids (GFK) program was started in 1990 by Pat McDougal with the support of members of the South Norfolk County Council for Children who wanted to help area children during the holidays. That first year twenty-five children who were identified by the Department of Social Services received gifts, books and clothing during the winter holiday season. The program was so successful and the recipients so grateful that the second year the numbers of children grew to 125. Each subsequent year a new social service agency was added and the number of children served by Gifts for Kids increased.

In 2006 we provided holiday gifts to more than a thousand children. The Cottage Street School in Sharon was the first school to organize classrooms to provide gifts and today more than one hundred classrooms in Sharon, Foxboro, Dover, Waltham and Medfield participate.

Last year Gifts for Kids served nine agencies including the Dedham Youth Commission, the Massachusetts Department of Social Services, Mainspring House in Brockton, and Cole Harrington in Canton. The number of donors is now over 1000 people from South Norfolk county and beyond. Elementary, Middle and High School students, girl scouts, boy scouts, churches, companies, and temple groups as well as Walmart, Bath and Body Works, and other companies have organized to help with the effort. Gifts for Kids has also received grants and funding from Rodman Ford, Hasbro, Eastern Bank, and Dedham Savings.