Ginger Mahon is preparing for this year’s donation day. She is the project organizer, allowing hundreds of children and teens to get a special gift during the holidays. Ginger Mahon
Because of Ginger Mahon, more than 300 homeless and foster care children and teens will wake up to presents on Christmas.
The Wish List Project, which turns 15 this year, will deliver donated personalized gifts to six organizations throughout the county, playing Santa for hundreds of children.
“It’s all about getting that one wish granted,” said Mahon, Great Falls.
Mahon runs the project out of her home. She said it started when a friend told her about children in Washington, D.C. not having presents during the holidays. In the weeks following, Mahon’s daughter, then in Kindergarten, brought home a letter from school asking parents to prepare an extra peanut butter and jelly sandwich in their children’s lunchboxes on Friday to send to the E. Rutger Shelter in Reston. Shocked that there was a shelter so close to her home, she decided she wanted to do more than send sandwiches.
That year, in 2000, 29 children received holiday gifts.
Every year, Mahon creates a list on Sign Up Genius and emails a link to potential donors. Everyone who puts together a package for a child or teenager gets to partake in the donation party.
“What we have been doing is hosting an open house in our home for the donation drop off party,” she said. “This year, we’re going to be fulfilling 325 individual wishlists.”
THE MOST RECENT ADDITION is the Fairfax County Foster Care. She was having lunch with a friend who was a social worker and asked if there is any other groups of children who could benefit from her annual project.
“She took one look at me and said the teenagers are the forgotten ones during Christmas,” she said.
Now that the list has grown since 15 years ago, Mahon has help from both Lissa Perez and Christy Shumadine.
“I learned about the project through our school community and my neighborhood would sponsor a few families and kids from the list every year,” said Shumadine. “Through the years, the recipient list has grown and it’s been exciting to watch the wonderful work that Ginger does and to play our small part in her massive efforts.”
Perez moved to Great Falls in 2010 and began donating to the project as soon as she found out about it. She gave each of her own children the responsibility of fulfilling another child’s wish list, something she felt would teach them about the spirit of the season.
“When I went to the drop off party, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the community and by Ginger’s massive undertaking,” said Perez. “I also learned that she did everything by email, phone and had a file folder full of handwritten notes.”
MAHON SAID the sight in her home is an emotional experience for many of the donors and herself. By the end of the day, her home is brimming with packages filled with a wish from a child - like a nail polish set, iPad, books. Every year, every single child on her list has their wish fulfilled.
“A miracle happens in my house every year on donation day,” she said. “Everyone can feel it. The generosity is astounding. You can’t help but feel moved.”
It is not just the generosity of donors, either. She said Paisano’s Pizza always triples her order without charging extra to provide food for the donors and her helpers. Also, for the first time this year, she said a church group is taking part in the project.
“It’s amazing,” she said. “I always end up getting everything we need plus more.”
To donate a gift for The Wish List Project, visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080a49aaaf2ea46-15th.