Join OAR in Spreading Holiday Cheer to Children and Families Impacted by Incarceration through OAR’s Project Winter Cheer Program!

This holiday season, with the help of the community, OAR is spreading joy to children and families impacted by incarceration through OAR’s Project Winter Cheer program (formerly known as Project Christmas Angel). OAR will hold the Project Winter Cheer “Wrapping Party” event on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Arlington.

Held for over 20 years, OAR’s Project Winter Cheer Wrapping Party event is one of OAR’s largest events of the year. OAR hosts a Toy Drive from October through early December every year on behalf of the community to collect holiday gifts for children of incarcerated and recently released parents. All these gifts are wrapped and packaged for delivery during the Project Winter Cheer Wrapping Party event. OAR’s Toy Drive and Project Winter Cheer program were created in an effort to provide another way for those experiencing incarceration to connect with their children over the holidays, as these relationships are often strained and challenged during and after incarceration.

It is so important to us that family relationships are maintained while a parent is incarcerated and after their release, and that no child is forgotten during the holidays. We ask that you – members and organizations of the community – also keep these children in mind as the holiday season approaches and get involved in this amazing event! Each child participating in this program will receive three holiday gifts along with a handwritten gift tag from their parent to remind them that even though they are not able to physically spend the holidays together, they are always keeping them in mind.

Thank you so much to everyone who has signed up for the Wrapping Party event! The RSVP for this event is now FULL!

How you can support and get involved: 

  • Donate gifts! We will be collecting donations of gifts for children ages 0-18 until December 6, 2019. You can donate gifts via our Amazon Wish List, drop off donations to the OAR office (1400 N. Uhle St, Arlington, VA 22201), or visit any one of our donation box host sites (you can find the list of donation sites here).
  • Donate gift cards! We are in need of gift cards to give to teens. Denominations of $20-$25 to places like Target and Amazon are most needed! You can mail or drop off donations of gift cards to the OAR office located at 1400 N. Uhle St, Suite 704, Arlington, VA 22201. Or donate via our Amazon Wishlist.
  • Make a financial contribution! You can make financial contributions towards Project Winter Cheer online on our website here. Your donations will go towards purchasing items such as wrapping supplies and postage to mail gifts to children that live outside of the local delivery area. Be sure to specify on the “Message or Comments” line that you’d like your donation to go towards Project Winter Cheer!
  • Volunteer at the Wrapping Party! Volunteer to wrap and/or deliver gifts at the Project Winter Cheer Wrapping Party on December 11, 2019. RSVP is required for this event. RSVPs are now full for this event! 
  • Spread the word! Help us spread the word around the community about this important program and to your friends and family. Share our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts online.
  • Become a sponsor! If you are interested in sponsoring the Wrapping Party event, please contact Stephannie Ku, OAR’s Director of Events and Communications, at sku@oaronline.org.

Thank you in advance for your interest in and support for Project Winter Cheer! Together as a community, we can make it our mission to bring holiday cheer to children and families impacted by incarceration.