CYEA/CYSD Holiday Drive Needs List 2026
It is time again for the Holiday drive to help those families in our district who need some financial support. We realize that the demands to help others are always great. Every effort has been made to identify those families who have great need and to limit the requests to those items that are most important to them.
In addition to the items on the list, you may make a financial contribution, which will go toward the purchase of gift cards. Send checks (made payable to CYEA) or cash to Kathy Carlisle at the Middle School no later than Friday, December 12th.
Here are some facts about the items on the list:
  • All clothing items are listed only one time. If you wish to purchase more, please feel free to do so. However, given the number of items on the list this year, you may want to consider buying for several people.
  • Personal hygiene items are also not on the list this year. They were purchased and donated by our CYSD teachers and staff.
  • You will see toys listed. We have told the parents we will provide each child with two gifts valued at no more than $25 each.
  • If you choose to purchase all items for one child, please be aware of how siblings might feel if the gift distribution is not somewhat equal. If you need information about siblings, contact Jen May at Stony Brook, ex. 2151.
  • We request only new items for everything.
Over the years, several groups of people have gotten together to "adopt a family". You might consider doing this as a team or with a group of students. In order to help maintain confidentiality, please choose a family that does not have any children in the age group with which you are working.
Although we would be happy to wrap your gift, it is EXTREMELY helpful to the group that does the sorting and delivering if you will wrap your item. When you do, please put a label on it with the family/person's code, which consists of a Letter and a Number, and the child's name.
If you are providing a gift for no specific individual (books, coloring books, crayons, etc.), please wrap and put the appropriate gender and age on the gift. We will then use it to make sure all children get something.
Deadlines:
Sorting and delivery – Tuesday, December 16th & Wednesday, December 17th.
Gifts should be wrapped, clearly labeled and in your building December 15th by 9am for morning pickup.
Financial contributions – to Kathy Carlisle at the Middle School by December 12th.
With all of us working together we should be able to provide some Holiday cheer for these families in our district. Thanks to all of you for your contributions and efforts to help!
Please note before working with the list: Once you click an item on the list and add it to your cart, it is removed from the list. You are responsible for the purchase of that item.
A label will print out with the student's first name. Please tape this to the package to make sorting easier.