2021 Holiday Outreach Program a Record Breaking Success for Our Community

This past holiday season was made brighter for many local families’ thanks in part to Holiday Outreach, the annual community-supported initiative which raises funds to provide holiday gifts and groceries for those families and seniors that need a helping hand during those cold winter months. First begun in 1998 and administered by the Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation (WUMCRC), the Holiday Outreach program has become a holiday favorite in the nine neighborhoods that comprise the program’s service area. The holiday program has also become popular with the staff of the Washington University Medical Campus (WUMC), with more than 20 WUMC departments choosing to participate and donate to the cause this year.

This year more than $64,000 was donated by more than 681 donors, a record breaking amount for the program. The program paired 37 families with participating WUMC departments who provided gifts, utility assistance, and beautiful holiday baskets packed with traditional Christmas foods. Donated funds also went towards providing gift cards and holiday baskets to 80 seniors living in low-income, long-term care facilities. With the help of generous donors and community sponsors, the Holiday Outreach program was also able to provide an additional 36 families with gift cards and holiday baskets.