LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ, โ In every Linden Public School this holiday season, something magical has been happening -- right at the front door.
Step into any school building this December, and youโre greeted by more than just the familiar buzz of students and staff. Youโre met with a story of generosity and love, told through brightly decorated Giving Trees that have transformed entryways into beacons of hope. Covered in colorful paper hearts and ornaments, each tree carried a holiday wish from a Linden child, a wish that would soon become a gift, thanks to the outpouring of kindness from the community.
The initiative, now in its 10th year, is part of the districtโs Holiday Giving Tree Program, a heartwarming tradition that continues to grow in both reach and impact. Families, students, staff, and community partners from across Linden joined forces once again to turn heartfelt wishes into holiday joy.
โYou couldnโt walk by these trees without being moved,โ said Ryan Devaney, Supervisor of Student Services and the lead coordinator of the initiative. โEach ornament represented more than a gift. It represented hope, dignity, and the belief that someone cares.โ
Throughout the season, donors, many of them teachers, parents, and students themselves, carefully selected wishes from the trees and returned with unwrapped gifts to fulfill them. Since last week, counselors and social workers became Santaโs elves, meticulously organizing, sorting, and preparing the packages. What began as a simple ornament on a tree blossomed into an entire districtwide operation rooted in love. To preserve the dignity and pride of each family, every package included wrapping paper and gift bags, allowing parents the joy of personally wrapping the gifts for their children.
The result? A record-breaking year of giving.
In 2023, the initiative served 169 families and brought joy to 360 children. Last year, more than 450 children from 205 families were supported through the program, a heartwarming milestone that speaks volumes about the generosity embedded in Lindenโs culture.
And this week, the final phase begins.
Beginning tomorrow, families will return to the schools where their wish began -- walking into main offices and guidance centers transformed into wintery gift stations, filled with the spirit of the season. Though the gifts will be unwrapped, each carries an invisible ribbon of compassion, tied together by the countless hands who made this possible.
โWe call it the Giving Tree, but itโs really the whole Linden community that gives,โ Devaney added. โFrom students to social workers, from local businesses to our Board of Education, everyone plays a part in making this holiday brighter for our children.โ
A Decade of Giving and Growing
Launched a decade ago as a small effort to meet the needs of a few families, the Holiday Giving Tree Program has blossomed into a districtwide tradition, woven into the very fabric of what it means to be part of Linden Public Schools. Each year, the program brings together educators, support staff, administrators, students, and city leaders to reaffirm a simple truth: in Linden, no child should go without holiday cheer.
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