Holiday Giving

Community Giving Tree in Topsfield MA

Get involved, donate and help empower local children and families.

Make a donation this season to one or more of the agencies listed here.

Girls Inc. of Lynn

Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area/a Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center Affiliate

Greater Lawrence Family Health Center

Lifebridge

Salem YMCA

Tri-Town Council

YWCA of Greater Lawrence

Women's Fund of Essex County

Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem

Family Services of the Merrimack Valley

Plummer Home for Boys - a group home in Salem for at risk boys ages 13-18. The boys live at the home and attend school in local communities. the goal of the Plummer Home is to connect the boys with a permanent family. Many of the boys have been in and out of foster homes and have no where else to go. the home is committed to serving these boys who have enormous emotional and financial challenges.

Jewish Family and Children's Service Center for Family Assistance ensures that individuals and families experiencing financial difficulty receive services and have access to resources needed to meet basic needs, improve their quality of life, and work toward greater self-sufficiency. JF&CS is conducting a Holiday Gift Card Drive this year. Their goal is to give $25 gift cards to the parents of more than 4300 children  (ages 0-18) in the 100 different communities who would otherwise not receive a holiday gift.

All gifts are to be in the form of gift cards, in $25 increments to any of the following stores: Target, Toys R Us, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or Best Buy.

On Point is a collaboration between Plummer Home, Salem Police and the Essex County Juvenile Court and is located in Salem's lowest income neighborhood. On Point works with at risk teenagers to provide therapeutic, recreational and educational activities, including a community service element which impacts the entire Salem community.

Massachusetts Department of Children and Families is a  state agency whose main responsibility is protecting kids from child abuse. Most of the children the agency works with are in foster care.

Beverly Bootstraps offers immediate and long-term assistance with food, housing stability, heat, and adult and youth education for residents of Beverly and Manchester by the Sea.  Beverly Bootstraps helps families connect to necessary resources to improve the quality of their lives.

Autism Support Center of Northeast ARC is a center to assist parents with information and support about autism spectrum disorders. The center provides information, referral, support groups, and training to parents affected by autism.

Pathways for Children offers parents opportunities and support as they identify and meet their own goals, nurture their children in the context of their family and culture, and advocate for communities that support children and families of all cultures. Since 1967, Pathways for Children has been a leader in early education and care programs on local, state, and national levels. Gifts will be given to children

of the North Shore, most of which are homeless.

North Shore Community Action Program serves more than 12,000 people each year across the North shore with innovative social services that help low-income families and individuals find the stability they need to rise out of poverty. NSCAP serves children and families in Salem, Peabody, Beverly, and Danvers as well as 25 cities and towns on the North Shore.

Wellspring House donations will be put to use helping people with their basic needs of food and shelter, and education and job training to empower their journey toward economic self-sufficiency. Wellspring House empowers individuals and families to live more secure lives through basic needs assistance, education and job training.

Community Giving Tree provides low income families in northeastern Massachusetts with basic necessities such as clothing, school supplies, baby equipment, and personal care items. Your donations keep babies safe, make children feel valued, and help families achieve self-sufficiency.

The Open Door helps to alleviate the impact of hunger in our community. Using practical strategies to connect people to good food, to advocate on behalf of those in need, and to engage others in the work of building food security.

Summerquest Camp for kids aed 5-14 at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Gloucester Gratis Days at Hammond Castle

Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts during April Vacation
In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr's original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum will offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
10:30 pm

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm

Saturday, September 27

Children’s Business Fair in Wenham

Could a Ten Year Old Invent the next Uber? Find out at the Hamilton Wenham Children’s Business Fair in Massachusetts
Step into a world of imagination, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, all powered by kids! At this one-day marketplace, young entrepreneurs ages 8-18 years old will showcase their creativity and grit as they launch real businesses they’ve built from the ground up.
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Climb Up Gloucester City Hall Tower

Take a Free tour of Gloucester Massachusetts City Hall's renovated tower as part of Trails and Sails 2024!
Experience the WOW factor when you climb up Gloucester’s City Hall clock and bell tower and emerge at the bell level. Views, weather permitting, are awesome. Members of Gloucester’s City Hall Restoration Commission will be on hand to inform you of the history of this architecturally significant...
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Nature’s Myth and Folklore Storytelling Series

Learn about colonial medicine at Pioneer Village in Salem Massachusetts
Come to Pioneer Village for a craft and storytelling event that shares tales of natural folklore and wild wisdom from around the world. These stories inspire an appreciation for different cultures as well as encourage engagement with the natural environment.
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery

Hilldale Cemetary in Haverhill Massachusetts is one of the North Shore's most active paranormal spots!
Do you believe in Ghosts? If you do then join the Essex County Ghost Project and Witches Wonder fort a spooktacular evening of haunts and fun . The gates open at 6:30 pm and hunt starts at 7pm . We are exploring one of New England’s most Haunted historical sites . There have been reports of full...
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
10:30 pm

Sunday, September 28

Todd Farm Market

Come to Todd Farm on Sunday - A classic New England Fleas Market in Rowley Massachusetts!
From early Spring to late Fall, Todd Farm is a great Sunday destination for families!  Head to the farm and explore the outdoor award-winning Market featuring up to 240 vendors from all over New England and New York!
5:00 am to 3:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm