Description

In Dane County, there are more than 1,000 children sleeping without permanent shelter every night. Not all of them are literally on the streets: many live doubled-up in apartments they could be kicked out of at any time, or in motel rooms provided by domestic violence services, or hide from the weather in cars or tents. This is the population we serve: children who go to sleep hungry and dream of school lunch, children who have trouble bathing regularly and can only hope their classmates don't notice. All year long, many agencies work hard to meet these very basic needs, but childhood shouldn't just be about surviving. We want there to be happy moments as well, moments full of magic and hope. And that's what Santas Without Chimneys strives to bring to these children. We help them and their families feel loved and supported by the broader community.

Since 2012, Santas Without Chimneys, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has brought personalized gifts to hundreds of homeless children in and around Madison, WI. Santas Without Chimneys is a nonprofit coalition effort to provide holiday gifts of new and like-new toys, books, and outdoor winter gear to the homeless children of Madison, WI. We gather wishlists from each child so that all may receive a sack of gifts that is truly their own. Santas Without Chimneys is a project of the Autonomous Solidarity Organization, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. We greatly thank our community allies for their support and assistance in this tremendous undertaking!

MESA was founded in 1982 to provide emergency assistance to Madison County, VA, residents.