The 6th Annual Candy Cane Project
The Candy Cane Project is back for its sixth year, and we couldn’t be more excited! What started as a way to bring a little extra Christmas magic to children in foster care has grown into a meaningful tradition built on community, generosity, and giving.
Last year, 70 kiddos received Christmas gifts, with participants joining us from seven different states! We are so grateful to everyone who helped make that possible. Your generosity reminds us that it takes a community to make a difference, and we can’t wait to see what this year brings.
The Candy Cane Project was created to support children and foster families during the holiday season, helping ease some of the added pressures of Christmas while ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience the joy, excitement, and magic they deserve.
How It Works
For our 2026 North Carolina Candy Cane Project, we will once again be serving children through Omni Family of Services. Each kiddo has thoughtfully completed a Christmas wish list featuring fun facts about themselves, their interests, necessities, and a few things they hope to find under the tree.
Community members can choose a child to sponsor and shop for gifts from their wish list. We typically recommend two to three items per child, but the list is meant to offer ideas, not requirements. Give what you feel comfortable with, have fun, and know that every thoughtful gift makes a difference!
Important Gift Guidelines
To help keep every child safe and ensure gifts can be properly processed by the agency, please follow these guidelines:
No cell phones of any kind.
No weapons, including toy weapons, fake weapons, or replicas.
No used or secondhand items, including clothing. All gifts must be new and unused.
Label all gifts clearly with the child's first name, last initial, and foster home's name or ID number.
Return gifts in gift bags so the agency can check and verify them before pickup.
These guidelines are essential to protecting the privacy and safety of all children involved. Thank you for helping us make this process smooth, safe, and special for everyone!
We are so excited to kick off another year of the Candy Cane Project. Thank you for continuing to show up for these kiddos and the foster families who care for them. Together, we can make this Christmas a little brighter, one child at a time. ❤️
Questions? Please reach out to annie@galyonsfostersupport.com.