Meet the Team Behind: Empty Stocking Fund

The Empty Stocking Fund supports families and teachers in need, equipping them with essential resources and making an immediate difference in children's lives. They bring holiday joy to kids around Atlanta by providing free gifts and toys during the holiday season. Learn more about their work here!  

What is the history of ESF? 

We started almost a hundred years ago, in 1927, as a small organization in Atlanta. Since then, we’ve created new programs and expanded our reach to help as many families and teachers as possible. ESF’s programs are offered completely free of charge to families and teachers, and we now reach hundreds of thousands of people in need each year. We leverage relationships with wholesale distributors and trusted corporations to provide school supply kits and classroom supplies during the school year, and gifts and toys during the holidays. 

How do you make the holidays brighter for families in need? 

We believe that every child deserves to have happy and magical holiday memories, and we bring that joy to disadvantaged children by providing toys and gifts during the holidays. Parents or guardians of kids who are receiving any form of public assistance are able to receive free, brand new gifts for their families through our services. Parents can choose which toys and gifts they want for their children on our digital Santa’s Village website and pick them up at a nearby distribution center. 

What work do you do to support teachers? 

Each year, teachers spend on average more than $500 of their own money to purchase school supplies for their classrooms. For teachers at Title I schools, this doesn’t even scratch the surface. ESF allows teachers to shop for school supplies and materials for their classrooms free of charge, and this year alone we have given away over $2 million in products to teachers and provided 30,000 student supply kits to schools. We take care of the supplies so they can focus on changing young lives. 

How can individuals get involved in your work? 

Our vital services are only made possible by generous donations and our incredible volunteers. We have sponsors around the Atlanta area who use their businesses and foundations as a vessel for good. Monetary donations make a world of difference to our work— a $25 donation equals a complete holiday gift package for a family in need and $20 funds a school supply kit. You can directly sponsor a child’s school supplies or volunteer to sort and distribute our materials to schools and families. You can learn more about how to help on our website.