Seminole Schools Launch Giving Tree, Ask Community For Support
Seminole County Public Schools asked residents and businesses to contribute to the annual SCPS Giving Tree to ensure vulnerable students receive gifts, bikes and essential items for the holidays. The appeal includes several easy ways to donate and highlights a community collection event that will take place this weekend.
Seminole County Public Schools made a public appeal on December 3 for donations to its annual Giving Tree program to provide holiday gifts and essential items to students in need. The district said the program depends on local businesses, organizations and residents to ensure each student has a memorable holiday, and it outlined multiple ways to give through December 12.
Residents may drop off new, unwrapped items at the Education Support Center, located at 400 E. Lake Mary Blvd., Sanford. Donors who prefer online shopping can order from an Amazon wishlist that ships directly to Community Involvement. Monetary gifts are accepted as tax deductible donations, with cash or checks preferred payable to SCPS and noted with Giving Tree in the memo line. More information and donation details are available at scps.k12.fl.us.
In addition to central drop off and online options, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers will host a Pack the Patrol Car collection event on Saturday, December 6. Officers will accept toy donations at area Walmart Supercenter locations in Sanford and Oviedo, providing a visible community collection point ahead of the December 12 deadline.
The program's timing and logistics matter for families facing economic strain. Providing toys, bikes and essential items can ease the financial pressure many households experience during the holidays, which in turn supports family stability and child wellbeing. For children who rely on school supports throughout the year, holiday assistance from community partners can reduce the short term stress that affects mental health and academic focus.
Beyond immediate relief, the Giving Tree highlights broader issues of equity in Seminole County. Distribution of nonmedical supports through schools addresses gaps that public health and social services do not always fill. The district’s request underscores how local institutions, law enforcement partners and residents together can buffer the influence of poverty on children during critical periods.
Donors who cannot attend the December 6 event or who miss the drop off window are encouraged to use the Amazon wishlist or mail checks to the Education Support Center with Giving Tree on the memo line, so gifts arrive before the December 12 deadline.
