An Impactful 2025 Holiday Drive

Dear Empower4Life Community,

Normally this is the moment when we share page after page of statistics, photos, and highlights from our Holiday Project—and trust us, the numbers this year are incredible. But after an overwhelming week and a heart full of gratitude, we want to pause and share something even more meaningful.

Before the tallies and totals, two things arrived that reminded us exactly why this work matters:

An email from one of our partner shelters, accompanied by photos of children holding their gifts—smiling, laughing, and feeling seen.
And a gift from another partner shelter, given simply as a thank-you.

This is the fuel that keeps us going.
Because while the gifts we wrap are important, the messages of kindness, love, and support we send to children mean everything.

Through our 2025 Empower4Life Holiday Project, together we:

  • Positively impacted nearly 300 children living in poverty

  • Stuffed 300 stockings overflowing with joy

  • Wrapped 3,200 gifts

  • Executed a project with a total value of $121,300

None of this happens without community—and this year, that community showed up in extraordinary ways.

More than 2,000 individuals contributed to this project, including 1,100 people who physically showed up at our holiday headquarters to sort, wrap, organize, load, and deliver gifts. Whether you adopted a child, donated supplies, volunteered your time, gave financially, or shared our mission—you were part of something truly special.

We are deeply grateful to the many organizations, teams, schools, clubs, businesses, and families who partnered with us this season, including:

Santa Claus Anonymous; Surgical ICU at University of Maryland; Home Paramount; Harford Gymnastics; International Union of Operating Engineers Local 37; The Center for Immunization Research at Johns Hopkins; RCMD; Mercy High School; Kingsville Elementary School; Girl Scout Troop 4452; Howard University Volunteens; BCPL–Towson Branch; Centre Pointe Performing Arts; Fallston Middle School; Kingsville Elementary School Student Advisory Team; Spector Chiropractic; Student Ambassador Club at St. Joseph School–Fullerton; Perry Hall Christian School; Silverman Thompson; ISE Logistics; Jason Los Foundation; Team 2011 Boys MLS NEXT; CH2, North Baltimore Aquatic Club; Fallston Fielders Travel Softball Team; Janney Montgomery Scott; Johns Hopkins University Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery; 2013 Fallston Girls Soccer; M&D Black 2029; FLC; Fallston Travel Soccer; Calvert Hall Brother Tom Program; Catonsville Soccer; Ignite Program Open Sessions; Palmieri & Shannahan; Baltimore Union Elite 10s and Elite 08s; Honeygo Hurricanes; Union Select 2015 Girls Soccer; Towson High School Leaderize; The Kelly Group; Johns Hopkins – Diversity and Outreach; The Coyotes; Towson High School Softball; Crush Lacrosse Club 2030s; St. Joseph’s School Service Club; Carroll Manor Girl Scouts Troop 4107; Dundalk High School NHS; Hereford, Perry Hall, and Pikesville Cheer; Girl Scouts Troop 1970; Dulaney High School Play for a Purpose; Gerstell Academy Class of 2027; Perry Hall Christian School NJHS; Kenwood High School ELD; Well Life Counseling and Consulting; Baptist Church; Jim Barbey Automotive; Tscheulin Family; Jeffrey Brown Contracting; Norton Transformation Office at St. Joseph Medical Center; Old Line Football Club; O’Neill Family; and Lansdowne High School.

To every single person who gave their time, heart, and resources—thank you. You reminded hundreds of children that they are loved, remembered, and worthy of joy.

This is why we do what we do.
And this is why we’ll keep going.

With endless gratitude,
The Empower4Life Team

Jennifer Cox