Santa's Helping Hands

Every Child Deserves A Visit From Santa

Thank you so much for visiting our website. Most of you are already familiar with what we do each year, but for those we’ve met more recently—through school, our children’s classes and activities, or work—we wanted to share a little background on what this is all about!

Each holiday season, Mikey & I reach out to as many people as we can to raise funds for children, single mothers, and families who need a little extra help during the holidays. With your generosity, we’ve been able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. Last year alone, we raised just under $20,000, and over the past 12 years, more than $150,000—an incredible testament to what can happen when a community comes together.

You can scroll down to read more about how we got started and see the impact your support has made year after year.

The power of collective kindness and goodwill can truly ensure that every child experiences the joy and magic of Christmas.

As we begin our 13th year, we’re once again asking for any donation—big or small. Every dollar helps bring smiles to faces and create lasting memories for families who might otherwise go without. It’s a wonderful reminder of the true spirit of the holiday season.

With lots of love & gratitude,

The Bottari Family

If you prefer to Venmo (@Kelsey-Bottari), Zelle (kelsey.bottari@gmail.com) or to mail a check please feel free to do so (3 Mona Lane, Dix Hills NY 11746)--just add note that it is for the holiday fundraiser. At the end of the holiday season I will send an email out to everyone who donated so you can see exactly where your donation went.

For anyone who is interested in finding out exactly where your money goes each year, below is a list of some of the organizations and charities we have worked with over the years.

FCA-Family & Children's Association
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island
Friends of Karen (serves families with children who have been diagnoses with and actively receiving treatment for cancer or another life threatening illness)
Blanca's House
Bethany House (woman and children's homeless shelter)
Suffolk County Coalition for Domestic Violence
Child Advocacy Center which is a social services organization in Central Islip
Each year we help out a number of individual families or children that many of you have sent us. Please keep that in mind; if you know an individual, a family or an organization that could use a little extra help this holiday season, please let us know!

Our Story:

How It All Began

Over 15 years ago—before Mikey and I got married—we were living in an apartment in Oyster Bay. Around that time, we heard a story about someone who had paid off all the layaway balances for families at a local Walmart. We thought that was such a beautiful and generous thing to do, and it lit a spark in both of us.

That holiday season, we donated to several different charities and tried to help as many people as we could afford to. When the next year came around, a few of those charities reached out to past donors, asking if we’d be willing to help again. That’s when we had an idea: what if we asked our friends and family to join in too?

Of course, everyone supports their own causes—which is amazing—but we thought if we could pool our donations together, we could make an even bigger impact for the charities and families we were already working with.

From there, things just grew. Each year, we’ve extended our reach—connecting with more friends, colleagues, and family—and expanding to support a mix of charities, shelters, and individual families who need a little extra help during the holidays. Many of these families come to us through donors, our children’s schools, our workplaces, or even community groups online.

Fast forward to today: we’ve now been married over 13 years, with four kids, two dogs, and a cat—and we’re still going strong! Our children are part of the magic now too. Every December, our garage, basement, and living room fill up with boxes of toys, clothes, and gifts, and our kids help sort and choose presents for other children their age.

A few years ago as the kids got a little older, we started a new tradition: I take the kids shopping, give each of them some money, and they pick out toys for other children. It sounds simple, but for a 9, 8, 6, and 4-year-old, walking through a toy store and choosing gifts not for themselves is a big lesson in generosity. It’s become such a meaningful part of the experience—for them and for us.

Last year, we created this website to make it even easier to share what we do and allow more people to get involved.

Thank you, truly, for being part of this journey with us. We couldn’t do any of it without you.