Gift of Giving - Jo Daviess County

12/23/2025

We just finished the last delivery for this year's Christmas event, and while we have lots of thank yous coming up for you to see we wanted to wrap up the deliveries with this heartfelt thank you from a Gift of Giving recipient family. We hope it warms the hearts of anyone who donated this year just as much as it does ours.
Thank you, everyone. ❤️

12/19/2025

If you know Susan Bookless or any of the members of the GHS Key Club, make sure to give them a huge thank you for their hard work and generosity for this year's Christmas event! The members were wrapping furiously, like little North Pole elves to pack everything up for two very lucky recipient families. Thank you so much!!! ❤️

12/19/2025

We have already made three deliveries and have a few more large donations to pick up, but this is our current situation.
Let the sorting ....continue!!
Thank you, everyone!!
More updates to come 💚🎄❤️

12/19/2025

❤️🎄💚Please help us fill our gaps for our families this Christmas ❤️🎄💚
Good morning, everyone!
It's that time of year again where my office has officially turned into toy mountain! We have done a preliminary sorting for all of our families that we will finalize today/tomorrow for deliveries this weekend. We have some big gaps to fill and hoping you'll put us on your Christmas list!
If you're out n about today and happen to be shopping and find it in your heart to pickup one or two things from the below list, you'd be a Christmas Angel for our families! Otherwise you can easily make a monetary donation electronically via Zelle or Venmo, cash or check dropped off at The Galena Gazette (to LeAnne Sharkey), or a committee member can pickup from you!
Thank you everyone, lots of pictures to come!
Items needed----
Bumbo Seat
Nee Doh toys
Fidget toys/Play Doh
Girls Makeup Sets
Girls Nail Items
Peppa Pig Items
Bluey Items
Duffle Bag for Sports
Art Stuff!!! (Coloring, drawing, etc.)
Size 3t un**es and socks
Blankets!!!
Nerf Boys Items
Men's size medium shirt/hoodies
Baby toy for boy x 2
Baby toy for girl
Surprise Balls

12/08/2025

Our committee members have worked to compile an Amazon wish list for the Gift of Giving's 2025 Christmas Drive! If you want to donate, but not sure what to purchase, we've selected items specific to each child's interests and put it all into one list. You also have the opportunity to put funds onto a gift card as well that we will use to fill in the gaps for any child we don't have gifts for at the end of the drive.
Use the below link to shop until December 17th, all items will ship directly to us, so it's super easy!
As always, we encourage our community to shop small and shop local, so if you want to use this as a guide and purchase at a local retailer, just shoot us a message of the like item you purchased and we will remove it from the list.
Thank you, everyone! ❤

Send a message to learn more

12/06/2025

A little note on kids age 12+...
One of the most important aspects of Gift of Giving is that everything is distributed in our local area. no one has to request the donations stay local and no organization has to request donations from us for local kids.
We already do all of that.
We collect the donations and we distribute to the recipient families in the Gift of Giving. A "one stop shop", so to speak.
Everything is kept here.
So, what about those kids 12+?
Not only do all donations stay local, we do not exclude any child based on age. If you're a "child" (18 or until you graduate high school) you're eligible to be a recipient. Many other charitable organizations collecting toys age recipient kids out at 12.
Oftentimes we forget about the older kids, and most toys donated are for the younger groups. The thing to remember though is that the teens feel the brunt of a hardship at Christmas probably moreso than a younger child. They understand more. They remember more.
That being said, when you help one of the older kids you're giving them something they won't forget. And that's pretty special.
They're still kids....
We always have a pretty big gap to fill for our 12+ kids and today we're reaching out to anyone who could find it in their heart to donate specifically to our older kids in the program. You can do so electronically, by mail or we can pickup from you.
All kids deserve the magic of being excited to open Christmas gifts under the tree, please help us get them there. 💚♥️

12/04/2025

Good morning!
This morning's "Sponsor a Christmas Kiddo" is a 9 year old girl from Hanover who loves dressing up and playing with makeup, jewelry and perfume. She also loves fluffy fuzzy blankets and wears a youth size 8 clothing and youth size 2 shoes.
If she sounds like a kiddo you'd like to sponsor, send us a message!

12/04/2025

Our last sponsor a Christmas Kiddo today is a 4 year old girl from East Dubuque who adores Peppa Pig...and all animals!

In fact, she loves Disney movies, especially Zootopia (and would love to own Zootopia 2 and the Incredibles 2 movie on DVD). She has a thing for turtles and would be so happy to get a Pets Alive cat!

This young girl wears a size 4T and really needs a new pair of winter boots (child size 8/9) and thermal gloves or mittens.

12/04/2025

Our Second Sponsor a Christmas Kiddo today is an 8 year old girl from Elizabeth, Illinois.

She is the epitome of girly girl and loves to make her own jewelry, listen to fun pop music (Taylor Swift) and Wicked is her favorite movie of all time! This young girl enjoys reading and is into the YA genre and would love a book light!

She wears a clothing size youth 10 or medium and her mom tells us that she could really use a new hoodie, hat and pair of gloves.

If she sounds like a child you'd like to sponsor, please let us know! ❤️

12/04/2025

Hi, Everyone!

Today we will begin our sponsor a child posts. Each day we will make 1-3 posts containing information about a child in our Christmas program.

If you see a kiddo that speaks to your heart, comment "sponsor!" and we will reach out with all the info you need. Thank you!!

Today's child is a 13 year old boy from Galena. He is in the eighth grade and enjoys sensory based play, things like fidget toys, slime, clay and squishy balls!

This child also loves to be creative and enjoys the arts. He is interested in sketching with pencils and ink in sketchbooks. He also enjoys painting!

He wears a men's size medium and his mom says he can't have too many socks, sweatpants or flannel button up shirts. 😊

If this sounds like a child you'd like to take part in sponsoring, let us know! ❤️

12/03/2025

Heart warming to see the toy boxes fill up, like The Snowgirl Box at The Copper Leaf Cafe and Catering Co. ♥️
Stop by any of the toy drive boxes to make your gift donation before December 20th!

Snowgirl Box at Cooper Leaf Cafe - Stockton
Gingey Box at The Galena Gazette - Galena
Buddy Elf Box at Nu Era - East Dubuque
The Grinch Box at The Spot - Galena
Toy Soldier Box at Prairie Ridge - Galena

Thank you, everyone. ♥️

We're getting closer to filling the gift box for The Gift of Giving - Jo Daviess County. Big thank you's to everyone who has donated so far!

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday and we invite you to consider making a donation to The Gift of Giving's Christmas Event. It's a large undertaking and we couldn't do it without the support we receive from our community members.
Remember, EVERYTHING we receive....every toy, food item, Dollar ...everything, stays right here in Jo Daviess County and the children and families in our community.
If you're willing to make a donation, please reach out with a message. Thank you, everyone. ♥️