Remember the minty taste of colorful candy canes? 

The jingle of bells during elementary school performances? 

The thrill of tearing through gift wrap underneath the Christmas tree? 

Or drinking the hot atole your nana would make with so much love? 

You might have similar memories from your childhood. 

But sadly, not every child’s holidays get to be as magical. 

Instead of waking up excited on Christmas Day, many children are used to feeling disappointed. And for their parents, the holiday season causes them more financial stress and guilt than joy. 

But it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little love and a helping hand, families in our community can still celebrate Christmas. 

CPLC is committed to creating Christmas miracles for as many children as possible. 

This year, 160 CPLC volunteers and staff gathered to distribute more than 5,000 toys to children in the community, while helping their parents obtain valuable resources. 

Thank you to Food City, our presenting sponsor, and to Desert Ford Dealers and HUB, our Santa sponsors! Thank you also to all our volunteers who showed up to stuff stockings, decorated the spaces, handed out toys, and cleaned up after. And thank YOU for your support always! Our impact wouldn’t be possible without everyone’s contributions at each step of the way.

As we handed out toys, it felt so good to see a child’s hesitant expression turn into a big, happy smile. But even more satisfying was watching the parents breathe a sigh of relief when they saw the happiness in their child’s eyes. 

And as the event went on, I was transported back to my own childhood memories of Christmas. For families like ours, it was hard for my parents to save enough money to celebrate each year. 

I remember one year, when my brother was 9 years old and I was 7, we got a bike for Christmas—one bike for the two of us! 

Since he was taller than me, I’d rest the bike against the porch outside our apartments so I could get on. But the bigger problem was getting off—I’d literally have to jump off and let the bike drop. As you can imagine, it eventually broke and my brother hardly got to use it. 

But no matter the presents—or even the lights, the carols, and the hot cups of champurrado—what I’ve cherished most were the warm, loving moments I got to spend with my family. 

And I’m glad that despite the biting cold, we still came together this year to provide an opportunity for families in our community to make special memories. 

Thank you so much for your support! Together, we are creating memories they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives. 

And this year on Christmas morning, I know both Mom and her children will wake up with smiles on their faces. 

Warmly, 

Alicia Nuñez 
President & CEO 
Chicanos Por La Causa