HWD FAQs

Yes! FGT partners with more than 300 agencies to gather the exact wishes of Bay Area residents in need. The names and wish you see are actual children, seniors, and adults transitioning from homelessness being helped by our partner agencies.

When FGT commits to providing a gift, we take that commitment very seriously. Generally, about 40% of all wish cards are not returned with a gift, so warehouse volunteers shop at our Holiday Wish Drive Community hub “store” to find a gift that best fits the wish. That gift is then given to the recipient so no one goes without.

FGT still matches the wish. Every single recipient whose name is on a wish card will receive a holiday gift from FGT, whether their wish tag is returned or not. Unfulfilled wish cards are matched with the best option from our Holiday Wish Drive Community Hub “store.” 

The Holiday Wish Drive “store” at the Community Hub holds thousands of donated and Family Giving Tree bulk-purchased items for distribution during the Drive. Gifts donated without a wish card or duplicate gifts are placed here until a volunteer matches them with an unfulfilled wish card.

Yes! However, be aware that late gifts may not go to the exact child or recipient listed on the wish card if their agency has already picked up their allotted gifts. Our 300+ partner agencies begin picking up from our Community Hub just a few days after Drop-off Day. This makes it incredibly important for all wishes to be returned on time. If your gift is late, it may be reassigned to another recipient whose similar wish has yet to be fulfilled or be used as a gift option in our "store" for recipients on our waitlist. Rest assured, ALL donated gifts will bring joy to a recipient - even those late arrivals!

Many recipient organizations identify their clients as having special needs, but only some are noted on the wish card. For example, an 18-year-old boy might want a learning toy intended for a kindergartner (developmental issues), or a 25-year-old adult may request a large print book (sight issues). Another example might be a senior asking for an infant activity mat, so think “grandparent” and buy the requested gift. In general, the wishes reflect the genuine need, so it is best to purchase what was requested.

Those recipients noted as unhoused on a wish card are usually under the care of an agency that is assisting them in transitioning into some sort of housing. As with anyone moving into a new space, they are in need of household items in order to set up their new room or apartment.

If you don’t think the size matches the age, please purchase the item in the size indicated as our agency partners understand the needs of each gift recipient.

Our partner agencies will begin gift pick-up from the Family Giving Tree Community Hub on December 9. We cannot guarantee that gifts donated after this date will go directly to the individual listed on the card. It may be reassigned to another recipient whose similar wish has yet to be fulfilled or be used as a gift option in our "store" for recipients on our waitlist. Should you find yourself with late donations, please drop off those gifts at Family Giving Tree's Holiday Wish Drive Community Hub through December 23. Check the calendar for dates and time the Community Hub is open and staffed.

We have worked hard to ensure all wishes can be found easily and are price—and age-appropriate. If you find an exact match for the primary wish, please look at the listed secondary or alternative wish. If you cannot find either, choose an alternative gift within the same genre as the original wish (e.g., toys, clothing, electronics). If you still cannot fulfill the wish, please contact us by phone at 408-946-3111. We appreciate the time you take to fulfill each wish.

If you lose a wish card, please attach a piece of paper to your gift, listing as much information as you can recall from the original wish card and we will do our best to match it at the Community Hub.

Because we accept late gifts in order to fulfill wishes on our waiting list, we encourage Drive Leaders to display the wish cards for as long as possible. However, when our Holiday Wish Drive has finished, leftover cards may be recycled or put in the trash.

Congratulations (and thank you!) on exceeding your expectations! Please get in touch with our office, and we will gladly mail out more cards ASAP. Every gift is another wish granted, more joy delivered to someone who needs it most during the holidays. You may also email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 408.946.3111 x212 to request additional wish cards.

The Virtual Giving Tree (VGT) allows you to fulfill a wish online. By making a donation to support a wish, you enable FGT to bulk purchase those gifts listed on the VGT site and support running the Holiday Wish Drive.

As much as we'd love for all of the financial donations raised through the VGT to support just gifts, there would be no way for us to help the recipients we serve if we cannot use some funds to cover costs. Things like trucking, equipment rental for the Community Hub, and shipping are just a few of the necessary expenses we incur to deliver gifts. Rest assured, we pour every dollar we can into the programs that benefit our recipients, especially in a year like this. Still, there would be no way for organizations like ours to continue our efforts to serve the community without apportioning funds as we do.

Yes. You can host a VGT and share the link with family and friends. All you need to do is sign-up as a Drive Leader and request a VGT be assigned to you during that portion of registration. Upon registering you'll receive an email 2-3 days later with instructions about set-up and customization. You'll be given a unique URL and password to manage the site through January 9th.

To sign up as a Drive Leader, click here.

All VGTs remain live until 9:00 PM on January 9th.

No. Unfortunately, Family Giving Tree does not have the resources to pick-up from the hundreds of Drive Leaders who support us.