Donor Highlight: Santa's Workshop
Our partners and donors are the true power behind communities of care for Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption. With them we can provide amazing support services, community events and after care resources.
Santa’s Workshop started as a simple idea to entertain children at the Foster Care and Adoption Holiday Party. Over the last 22 years, through the vision and direction of Mary Ann Fuss and Jill Seibert, Santa’s Workshop has become a cherished part of the holidays for foster families in the Department of Family Services.
Mary Ann said, “I asked Emma Marshall (foster care recruiter and community educator) if maybe we could arrange to do crafts or something to keep the children occupied during the holiday party. Then it just evolved from there.” The activities and holiday shop were a way to empower the children to do something for the important people in their lives.
When she started Santa’s Workshop in 1997, Mary Ann was working as a placement coordinator for children in Foster Care. The Fusses and Seiberts also were both host families for VEFC (Volunteer Emergency Families for Children – no longer in operation). The majority of kids in their homes were through Fairfax DFS. Mary Ann recognized that the holidays can be a difficult time for children in foster care. Her experience as a social worker taught her that sometimes the best way to distract yourself from your own unfortunate circumstances is by helping others.
Her mission has been for every child to have the opportunity to experience the joy of giving to others during the holiday season. The Santa’s Workshop holiday store allows children in foster care to shop (at no cost) for their friends, families and teachers, etc. The workshop has personal shoppers and gift-wrapping services for the children. Children also have the opportunity to decorate ornaments, make crafts, or make cards to share with loved ones.
For the last 22 years, Mary Ann and Jill along with their entire families have spearheaded the effort to collect all the gifts for the store, bring them in and set them up for the children. They have recruited other friends and neighbors over the years and Santa's Workshop has evolved into a community of loyal volunteers that return year after year. After this year, the Fusses and Seiberts plan to hang up their aprons and retire from organizing Santa’s Workshop, but they hope that the children will still have a way to experience the joy of giving.
Mary Ann's hope has been that Santa's Workshop brings some sort of comfort and a sense of "normalcy" to children in foster care during an uncertain time in their lives. “The true spirit of the season is giving to others,” Mary Ann said. “Without this program these children may not have the opportunity to give gifts to their family or friends. Our program allows children in Foster Care to experience the joy of Christmas.”