“The Season Of Giving,” Is Here - Spread Holiday Cheer By Helping South Florida’s Less Fortunate

Yet somehow, someway, this year, local churches and other organizations are spreading holiday cheer by helping South Florida’s less fortunate families. Below is a list of religious groups and institutions (mostly non-profit ones) offering help.

This holiday season, Christmas of Hope Inc., which operates the Hope Food Pantry at 161 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 plans to bring hope to families encountering hardships throughout the year, especially during Christmas. More information, visit: www.christmasofhope.net.

And for the 2025 Christmas season, through its “Special Touch” program, Gateway Community Outreach (an organization whose main office is in Deerfield Beach) is providing unprosperous families at its Fort Lauderdale site on 222 Southeast 10th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 with food, toys, and wrapping paper. More info on Gateway Community and its other programs, call: (954) 725-8434.

Simultaneously, this December, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, 5555 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 in partnership with Every Mother’s Advocate (a Pompano Beach association), is running its Christmas Toy Drive to help needy children and families. For more information, contact Duane Mellor at: dmellor@crpc.org.

In Hollywood, Hollywood Community Church at 1708 North State Road 7 Hollywood, Florida 33021, which regularly operates an Open Heart Food Pantry, is distributing free Christmas food boxes to hungry families throughout December. For more information, call: (954) 322-4302.

Moreover, this December, The Pantry of Broward, 2800 West State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 is transforming its warehouse into a “toy store” where the registered grandparents can hop for new, unwrapped gifts for their grandchildren (ages 2-17). For more information, call: (954) 358-1481.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, 1005 Joe DiMaggio Drive, Hollywood, Florida 33021 will also help indigent kids while throwing its Annual Holiday Toy Drive on Thursday, December 18th, 2025 Friday, December 19th, 2025, Saturday, December 20th, 2025, Monday, December 22nd, 2025, Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025 and Friday, December 26th, 2025. Last holiday season, the hospital received almost 1,500 toys collected from a Miami Dolphins fan toy drive. For more information, this year’s Holiday Toy Drive, email: JDCHDonations@mhs.net.

On Saturday, December 20th, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the City of Lauderhill and Joy’s Roti Delight Restaurant (1205 NW 40th Avenue in Lauderhill) will have their 2025 Holiday Toy Giveaway (It is open to Lauderhill residents only, ages 2-12). For more information, call: (954) 730-2983.

Also, on Saturday, December 20th, 2025 Saint Ruth Missionary Baptist Church, 145 Northwest 5th Avenue, Dania Beach, Florida 33004 is having its Holiday Toy Giveaway at CW Thomas Park, located at 100 Northwest Eight Avenue, Dania Beach, Florida 33004. The event aims at bringing smiles to needy children. For more information, call: (965) 922-2529.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, December 20th, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Sunset Presbyterian Church, 3550 Davie Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 in partnership with many non-profit organizations, will host a Holiday Wish Toy Distribution Event. For more information, call: (954) 581-5470.

This year also marks the 43rd year that Rick Case Automotive Group (headquartered in Sunrise) is holding their Bikes For Kids Donation Drive at its various dealerships in Broward County. Presently, Rick Case is accepting gently-used bicycles to give to local children until Saturday, December 20th, 2025. For more information, visit: www.RickCase.com.

In Pompano Beach, the City of Pompano Beach plans to orchestrate its Pop the Trunk Christmas Toy Giveaway 2025 on Sunday, December 21st, 2025 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the McNair Center on 951 Northwest 27th Avenue, Pompano Beach, Florida 33069. The purpose of this occasion is that you drive through, pop your trunk, and receive a free toy for your child. All ages are welcome. For more information, call: (954) 786-4600.

Regarding the Salvation Army of Broward County, this December it once again launched its Angel Tree program, which helps children get Christmas gifts. You can find the Army’s Angel Trees at Broward County’s participating malls like Coral Square Mall, Broward Mall, and Pembroke Lakes Mall and at several Walmart locations. For more information, call: (954) 488-1369.

Additionally, during this Christmas season, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Broward County, 3511 West Commercial Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 is helping deprived families through its “Share the Season” campaign. The campaign provides holiday meals and gifts for children enrolled in their mentoring programs. For more information, call: (954) 584-9990.

Furthermore, this December, First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale is providing Christmas gifts to children whose parents are incarcerated through the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. The church, at 401 Southeast 15th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301, also operates a “Christmas Store” that empowers struggling families.

In Miami-Dade County, MRM Compassionate Ministries, 20373 NW 36th Avenue, Miami Gardens, Florida 33056 is hosting its “Christmas Block Party” on Saturday, December 20th, 2025. MRM is bringing cheer to families during the holiday season by providing toys to underprivileged children in Miami-Dade and Broward communities. For more information, call: (305) 623-1174.

On Sunday, December 21st, 2025 Liberty City Optimist Club, whose primary address is at 4900 Northwest 12th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127 will arrange a major “Christmas in the City: A Night of Hope for the Children” fundraiser to support its year-round programs for over 700 children with education, sports, and mentorship. Proceeds from this fundraiser will support impoverished families throughout the year and during the holidays. For more information, call: (786) 220-0645.

In the meantime, this December, Touching Miami with Love (main office is in the Overtown neighborhood at 711 Northwest 6th Avenue, Homestead, Florida 33136 which will provide gifts to needy children for the 2025 Christmas season through its Christmas Store program. Since 1995, Touching Miami with Love has been serving the children, youth, and families of our communities. For more information, email: info@touchingmiamiwithlove.org.

In addition, Caring for Miami (based in Palmetto Bay in Miami-Dade County) and associated with Christ Fellowship Church, whose main church is at 500 Northeast 1st Avenue, Miami, Florida 33132 will provide assistance to poverty-stricken families for the 2025 Christmas season, including free Christmas presents, clothes, and meals. The organization typically partners with churches and social service agencies for distribution. For more information, call: (786) 430-1051.

And throughout December, The Caring Place, an organization headquartered in Miami, is hosting holiday events across Miami-Dade and Broward counties to provide festive dinners to residents, homeless guests, and families in need. “Christmas Dinners” and a “Christmas Drive Thru Giveaway” are scheduled for Saturday, December 20th, 2025. For more information, email: contact@caringplace.org.

Yet besides The Caring Place, Neighbors 4 Neighbors, an agency based in Doral, is actively involved in helping destitute families across Miami-Dade and Broward counties during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

Neighbors 4 Neighbors is now operating its “Adopt A Family 4 the Holidays” program for the 2025 Season, which helps provide gifts and food to less fortunate families across South Florida. For more information, call: (305) 597-4404.

Speaking of helping the less fortunate, during this year’s Christmas season, Toys for Tots (headquartered in Virginia) is helping South Florida’s deprived families by collecting and distributing new, unwrapped toys to children through partnerships with local charities, schools, and social welfare agencies. First created in Los Angeles back in 1947, nationally, Toys for Tots has distributed many millions of toys to hundreds of millions of underprivileged children. More info on its South Florida operation, contact Ms. LaToya Jacobs at: busstopminmia@gmail.com.

Finally, Christmas Tree Santas, an outfit that works with social service agencies, is giving away Christmas trees, stands, and decorations to disadvantaged families in the Miami area for this holiday season. Founded in 2011, Christmas Tree Santas has already given away over 21,000 trees to needy families.

For more information, visit: www.christmastreesantas.org.

The Salvation Army of Broward County Angel Tree and handmade sleigh at the Sawgrass Mall.