For 70 years, 880 CHED Santas Anonymous has been part of the fabric of Edmonton's holiday season, delivering toys – and a sense of joy – to children across the city.
But while the program has become a beloved tradition, its ability to serve nearly 20,000 children each year has depended heavily on longstanding partnerships, including the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) and the Oilers 50/50 raffle.
For 25 years, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation has wrapped its arms around kids across Oil Country, and its support has been nothing short of transformative for Santas. Because of EOCF’s generosity, children who might have felt forgotten instead feel seen, valued, and celebrated on Christmas morning. Its commitment reaches far beyond toys – it touches families, restores hope, and reminds our city of what compassion truly looks like.
That partnership, now in its 25th year, has quietly supported the capacity and stability of Santas through periods of both growth and uncertainty. And when Santas found a permanent home, the EOCF invested in operational tools. One of its most transformative contributions – hundreds of large black storage bins – remains a mainstay of Santa's Depot today. They've streamlined how toys are organized, stored and transported; those bins are among the first things visitors ask about during tours.
The EOCF's support has gone far beyond infrastructure. Each year, it provides program funding to help children whose needs cannot be met through donated toys still receive thoughtful, developmentally appropriate gift packages.
Every child supported by Santas receives two toys, a book, and a stuffed animal – items chosen not simply to brighten Christmas morning but to support literacy, creativity and healthy play. Several years ago, the partnership expanded into a project that provided 10,000 families with a game meant to encourage meaningful time together – an initiative that families shared had a significant impact on how they played with their children.
"Play is a child’s job," and these gifts help them do that work.
The EOCF's involvement is also hands-on. Oilers Entertainment Group and EOCF staff volunteer at Santa's Depot annually, helping package individual child packages and family gifts. As a volunteer-led organization, Santas relies on over 2,500 volunteers to contribute 14,000 hours each year. Partners like the EOCF help fill that need.
