If this crazy, unpredictable, and difficult year has taught us anything, it has reminded us how grateful and fortunate we all are. This holiday season, the HDS Companies has chosen to support Children’s Harbor, a foster care organization whose mission is to keep families together. Throughout this month, we have been able to donate holiday decorations, volunteer to decorate and light up the harbor, and most recently adopt an “angel” and purchase gifts for him/her through a virtual angel tree.
Due to COVID and everyone working remotely, the HDS Companies created a virtual Christmas tree filled with angel ornaments on it. Each angel had a child’s name along with their wishes. Our staff members worked really hard in making these children’s wishes come true by finding those special gifts. It was really eye opening to read some of the wishes they had made. Some were the simplest of things like bed sheets, socks, a hoodie. We were so excited that we were able to find most of their gifts online and in stores, while also being able to spread some Christmas spirit to these children!
This project brought us close together as a company by requiring a lot of teamwork. Our generous CEO, Cristina Miranda Gilson, had the vision, and we all came together to make it happen. Our HDS Foundation team members helped organize the gifts as they came in by tagging the specific angel, while also taking pictures and sending it to the Children’s Harbor facilitator and then bagging them up to be picked up. When the facilitator came by, her face immediately lit up. She was not expecting so many gifts! She was ecstatic to see that each child would be getting exactly what they wanted – gifts that they have been talking about nonstop back at the shelter.
This experience was an unforgettable one, and a great way to end the year. Purchasing these gifts for children who have never had a wish list for Christmas before made our hearts happy and hopeful that this holiday season would bring lots of smiles. HDS is committed to supporting the overall well-being of our communities through social responsibility and company values. A big thank you to the HDS elves for opening up their hearts to make this Christmas special. We would like to wish the children and employees at the Children’s Harbor a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
