Father
Christmas

What is Father Christmas?

Starting in October, we open up nominations to the public for community members to nominate deserving dads that are facing financial/physical/mental hardships.  Once the nominations are closed, we have a group of FFVA volunteers/sponsors read the applications.  We choose 25 fathers in Greater Richmond and 10 in Hampton Roads (usually more).  Next, we will call the nominators & let them know that the dad they nominated was chosen. The nominator will work secretly, as the dads do not know, to get Christmas lists for their children and set up Santa meetings. We will then pair the lists with volunteers who have adopted a family & they will shop, wrap all the presents & drop off the night of the event on December 17th, 2024.  That evening, the 25 dads think they are just coming to see Santa.  As they enter the event, we have cookies, hot cocoa, letters to Santa & other activities.  After the children visit, Santa says some kind words to dad & presents dad with $500. After the visit, all go into the next room where they will have their wrapped presents given to them & taken out to the car by volunteers, grabbing dinner as they walk out. For the first time in Hampton Roads, we will make a surprise visit to the dad at work or home and gift him $500. The entire process takes 10 minutes. In that brief time, it changes lives & makes Christmas brighter for a deserving dad in our Commonwealth.

Who is Eligible to be Nominated?

This event is open to everyone in Virginia who is at least 18 years old and is a father. We do ask the nominators to show that the fathers who they are nominating are facing financial/physical/mental hardship that may prevent them from providing a Merry Christmas for their families.  The funds that we give allow dads to pay rent, buy food, catch up on bills, etc. As a father working to make ends meet, the extra allows dads to breathe a little easier around the holidays.  All nominations this year must be submitted by no later than Wednesday, November 20th in Central VA.  All nominations in Hampton Roads must be submitted by December 8th.