Making winter wishes come true

In New York City, through New York Cares’ Winter Wishes program, employee volunteers from nine different divisions answered over 1,400 letters from children, teens and families, many of whom would otherwise not receive gifts for the holidays. The letters came from multiple community-based organizations including homeless, educational and other social service agencies.

Meanwhile, other departments in New York participated in virtual gift drives, with employees purchasing over 550 toys and books online for area youth development agencies. In Boston and Santa Ana, employees participated in traditional toy drive collections held at their offices.

For the third year, Jacksonville employees organized the “Snowy Day” gift drive for one of the bank’s partner elementary schools. The three-months-long effort yielded some 1,300 gifts for students, who received personal deliveries of items packed inside homemade gift bags.

Cary employees fulfilled wish lists for children living in foster care as part of their annual participation in the “Hope for the Holidays” drive benefitting Children’s Home Society of North Carolina.

San Francisco employees participated in Raphael House’s “Adopt a Family” initiative and supported six families this year.

Through these various efforts, employees helped bring the joy and warmth of the season to their neighbors.