Last Wednesday evening, around 20 Starbucks and McGaw YMCA staff and volunteers gathered at the McGaw YMCA to serve over 70 families at the 4th Annual Starbucks Community Gift Drive. With 2 presents given out per child, per family, over 350 children will receive gifts this holiday season through this community event.

Since its beginning in 2008, the Community Gift Drive has been a success. The event first started when two Starbucks employees, Jacob Kelleher and Christine Karasek, expressed the desire to partner with the YMCA in giving back to the community. Four years later, the event continues to grow and gain recognition. From serving just around 20 families 4 years ago, 72 families were served at this year’s Community Gift Drive.

Every year, local Evanston, Skokie and Wilmette Starbucks locations promote the event to their customers and collect donated gifts at their 13 stores. Over 800 gifts were collected for this year’s Community Gift Drive. “Our customers are very generous, and every year the event gets bigger!” expressed Christine Karasek, one of the original organizers of the event.

On the day of the event, Starbucks associates deliver, sort, and wrap the gifts and also assist guest families in their gift selection. They also provide coffee for the waiting parents. North Shore volunteers also donate their time, cookies, cider, and arts & crafts for the children. The McGaw YMCA promotes the event through Project SOAR, the Children’s Center and Foster Reading Center Families. Families at the YMCA are encouraged every year to share the information about the Community Gift Drive with other families who might have a need during the holidays.

To learn more about Project SOAR and other McGaw YMCA programs, we invite you to visit www.mcgawymca.org. Keep updated on local community events, McGaw YMCA updates and more by finding us on Facebook and Twitter.