The Blasio Administration and Partners Are Giving 3,700 New York City Youth Gifts This Holiday Season

Dec 24, 2021

The holiday initiative led by NYC Service, in conjunction with other city agencies, uses community volunteers and private sector partnerships to distribute gifts across the city

NEW YORKMayor Bill de Blasio and Chief Service Officer Laura Rog announced today that vacation wishes for more than 3,700 New York City children and youth were fulfilled by more than 2,000 volunteers from the city government, including the mayor, and the private sector through the Seventh Annual Secret Snowflake gift giving initiative.

“Secret Snowflake is a testament to the giving spirit and generosity of New Yorkers. The holidays can be a difficult time for the youth of our city, but New Yorkers have shown once again how powerful we are when we work together to help those who need us,” he said. Major Bill de Blasio. “I want to thank the tremendous efforts of all the volunteers, city agencies and companies who have donated gifts to the youth and children who need them most.”

Secret Snowflake mobilizes city and private sector employees as volunteers to answer letters from children and youth referred by municipal agencies. Since 2014, Secret Snowflake has been answering the holiday wishes of more than 19,000 New York children and young people, ranging in age from one month to 18 years.

“2021 has brought another year of extraordinary challenges, and NYC Service is proud to once again support youth and their families and caregivers this holiday season,” said Chief Service Officer Laura Rogo. “We appreciate the continued commitment of our business partners and city staff to answer more than 3,700 letters this year, and the generosity they have shown once again. Our city is at its best when residents come together to support each other, and their volunteering is especially important this time of year.”

NYC Service has partnered with the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), the Department for the Aging (DFTA), the Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the Human Resources Administration (HRA), the Department of of Veterans Services (DVS) and the Mayor’s Office for the Ending of Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) to collect letters from children and youth served by their agencies before the holiday season. Secret Snowflake letters usually ask for supplies, such as clothes, shoes, or a warm jacket to get through the winter, as well as toys, books, and other game-based activities.

“The Secret Snowflake initiative is a true example of the spirit of giving and this holiday season, thousands of New York City children will be able to receive a wonderful, memorable gift thanks to the incredible collaboration and generous donations of kind-hearted New Yorkers,” said Administration for Children’s Services Commissioner, David A. Hansell. “I want to thank Mayor de Blasio, NYC Service and everyone who made this year’s Secret Snowflake possible for many children served by ACS.”

“This holiday season, I am grateful to be part of such a caring and close-knit community,” said Vice Chancellor of School Climate and Wellbeing, LaShawn Robinson. “Secret Snowflake is a reflection of the heart of New York City, which is large and overflowing with generosity, especially when it comes to our children. I express my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to all individuals, organizations and companies who have made this initiative possible. Your dedication to our city and youth deserves to be celebrated.”

“This is the Department for the Aging’s third consecutive holiday season with the NYC Service Secret Snowflake initiative, which has helped us provide gifts to hundreds of related families and their children,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner, Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “This year, our Grandparent Resource Center, which supports grandparent caregivers who care for young children and keep families united, partnered with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and the NYC Police Department to distribute nearly 500 gifts to families. That is more than 75% more than last year. We are grateful to AlphaSights, Company Ventures, Sinpulse and Minute Media who responded to 160 letters and 87 e-Gift card submissions received from our related healthcare providers and who generously provided gifts.”

“Secret Snowflake embodies our city’s compassion during the holiday season, bringing communities across the five boroughs together to support children and families in need,” said Homeless Services Department Administrator, Joslyn Carter. “We are proud to rejoin NYC Service, our sister agencies in the city and private partners to support this amazing initiative that will bring joy to hundreds of children who are homeless this holiday season.”

“New Yorkers always come together in challenging times, and Secret Snowflake is a perfect example of the magnanimous generosity of our city’s residents and businesses,” said Department of Veteran Services Commissioner, James Hendon. “We are grateful to NYC Service and our private partners in helping provide a great vacation for the children of our veterans and military community.”

New York City’s private sector is a major contributor to Secret Snowflake. This year, employees of 25 NYC companies responded to Secret Snowflake letters. NYC Service supplemented their gifts with donations from businesses small and large from across the city, worth nearly $21,000. AlphaSights donated $4,999 and Miller Druck provided critical storage facilities for this year’s initiative.

2021 Secret Snowflake Business Volunteers:

• SL Green
• Brookfield Properties
• Chanel
• AXIS Capital
• Neuberger Berman
• New York times
• Revlon
• Turner construction company
• German Bank
• A&E television networks
• Macy’s
• J Crew
• AlphaSights
• US Airlines
• city
• Business
• Expand Enterprises Inc. from
• Holt construction
• January digital
• Loring Consulting Engineers, Inc.
• Prudential private capital
• Sard Connect
• Sony
• SoundPoint Capital
• A&E Networks

2021 Secret Snowflake Partners in Kind

• Greenlight Bookstore
• HarperCollins Publishers
• Oracle
• Miller print
• Synpulse
• Books are magical

“The opportunity to share joy during the holidays has become a special tradition at Company Ventures,” said Lindsay Siegel, Head of Impact at Company Ventures. “We look forward to participating in Secret Snowflake every year and giving the startups in our tech community the chance to give back to our city, thanks to NYC Service!”

“Every year, Prudential Private Capital has the opportunity to partner with an outstanding charitable organization, and we are grateful to NYC Service and the Mayor’s Office for participating in Secret Snowflake this year,” said Engin Okaya, Managing Director at Prudential Private Capital. “Our team is always looking forward to the opportunity to bring joy and happiness to others during the holidays, which has become a welcome tradition for Prudential Private Capital’s New York office. We really appreciate being able to do this this year as COVID-19 continues to affect us and our communities. We fully support organizing this opportunity and giving us the opportunity to embrace the true spirit of the season of giving and help the most needy in New York City.”

“As a homegrown New York City company, SL Green is committed to improving and contributing to the local communities where we live, work and operate,” said Laura Vulaj, Senior Vice President, Director of Sustainability & Hospitality at SL Green Realty Corp. “We recognize the importance of making a meaningful impact in this time of need. We are proud to partner with NYC Service for the fourth consecutive year and make a positive impact on the lives of New Yorkers this holiday season.”

“As a long-time NYC Service partner, Citi is excited to join Secret Snowflake this holiday season,” said Stephanie Hochman, Chief, Citi Volunteers. “Involving our colleagues in activities that help give back and bring joy to others is central to the spirit of Citi volunteering, especially after a year of ongoing challenges surrounding COVID-19. Citi would like to thank NYC Service and the Mayor’s Office for organizing this occasion and for their continued efforts to positively impact the lives of our city’s most vulnerable populations.”

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