Freebs Secret Santa Project 2023

Dec 12, 2023 | Uncategorized

Let's share the true spirit of Christmas and show the world what #FreebsNation can do this holiday season! We're sharing our annual Secret Santa Project to help others in need this year! 

If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that FREEBS. ARE. POWERFUL. Period. I have seen so much good come from our corner of the internet!

Our annual Freebs Secret Santa Project proves just that.

What started on accident in 2016 (no, really! Keep reading!) has snowballed and grown into an annual tradition of giving and generosity! For years we have accepted nominations (from you!) for those in need, then gathered hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations (from you!), that are individually-distributed to families or organizations each Christmas. It has been one of the most humbling, exciting, awe-inspiring things I've ever been a part of, and somehow, each year has surpassed the last in greatness.

THIS YEAR'S 3 SECRET SANTA RECIPIENTS

*UPDATE: This Secret Santa Project has ended, and our community raised over $32,000 for these three families! Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity!*

Last week, we shared a nomination form with Freebs Nation through this blog and social media and asked you to submit someone in need of extra love and support this holiday season. You Showed Up!!! We received hundreds of nominations and we read through each and every one of them. Many filled our eyes with tears. You can understand how difficult it is to narrow down the nominations to just 3 that we would be sharing this year for our Secret Santa Project, so please know that we are praying for each and every nominee to be shown love, grace and support this holiday season.

Without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to three wonderful Freebs with touching stories and invite you to join us in showering them with generosity and kindness. We are providing their Venmo account information, which has been verified, so that your donations go directly to them. Please read their stories and donate what you are able to. We can make SUCH an impact and difference in their lives! These are in no particular order:

Dori Windsor

Dori is nominated by her friend Brooke Higley. Brooke shares:

“Dori is an incredible person. I met her 12 years ago when I was in college. At the time she was a single mom to 3 young kids. She was living in a tiny apartment, going to school, cleaning homes for work and just trying to survive. She married the love of her life 11 years ago and they were able to have 1 baby and then adopt 2 adorable African American babies that are actual siblings. They had a beautiful life. In February they found out that Dori’s husband had cancer that had gone to his brain and spread everywhere. They tried everything, but Adam passed away shortly after. They are left in a mountain of medical bills and Dori is now a single mom to 6 beautiful children. I know she could really use help and feel the love and support of our community.”

The photo below was the last photo of the Windsor family, taken 5 days before Adam's passing.

Dori's Venmo account (shared with her permission, and verified) is @Dori-Windsor and we can't wait to see how Freebs Nation supports her through this Secret Santa Project! Venmo Link Here!

Janet de Luna Velasquez

Janet was nominated by two different people. Here are the stories they shared:

“My nomination is for my legal guardian, Janet. At 14 I had already been on the streets for almost 3 years. I ran away from home and was used in forced prostitution. During a bust I was given a Child Advocate, which was Janet. She accompanied me at the police station, at the hospital during the rape kit and during all the proceedings at court. Janet found me placement at a group home and helped me find my siblings whom were also in foster care at that point.

When we couldn’t find placement together, Janet became a certified foster home parent. She opened her home and life to me and my 2 siblings. I am a high school graduate and going to community college to be an alcohol and drug counselor and I owe it all to Janet. She was a blessing sent to us.”

“Janet is a full time facility manager at a safe haven group home for underage girls. These girls have been rescued from sex trafficking and slavery. I have seen Janet go above and beyond for her girls. Janet has spent her paycheck to make sure her residents have basic hygiene products or toiletries. Janet has been a child advocate for almost 10 years, and she has impacted the life of hundreds of children in California. We are so proud to call her our friend. Her son was also diagnosed with special needs, but that hasn’t stopped her from being the best at work and at home.”

Janet's Venmo account (shared with her permission, and verified) is @janjandluna19 and we hope you will share your donations with her through this Secret Santa Project! Venmo Link HERE!

Lori Jo Cronin

Lori Jo is nominated by Hannah Miller, who shares this story:

“Please take a moment to get to know Lori Jo. She truly is the most selfless and giving woman I know. Lori Jo just found out she has breast cancer and will be doing surgery and chemo right around New Year. On top of that, she has battles infections, pain, and lost her leg to an amputation over the past three years from injuries and surgeries. She has three young daughters that she is raising alone. Sadly their family was touched by death in 2022, two Christmas’ ago, when the girls’ father committed suicide. This family has pulled together and still helps others with kindness and generosity. Lori Jo works as a Para teacher with special needs children at a Title 2 school. Even when she can’t walk or her prosthesis doesn’t fit, she shows up to work for those children and provides excellent education and extraordinary kindness. She loves music and the Utah Jazz. She is a caregiver to her aging patents. Lori never ceases to amaze me with her genuine love for others and putting her needs last. I can’t imagine a more grateful or deserving person to be nominated for your special Christmas project.

Lori Jo Cronin's Venmo account (shared with her permission, and verified) is @Lori-Cronin-3 and let's show her some love, Secret Santas! Venmo Link HERE!

IT'S IN FREEBS NATIONS' CAPABLE HANDS NOW!

*UPDATE: This Secret Santa Project has ended, and our community raised over $32,000 for these three families! Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity!*

We are so honored to receive your stories, and we love supporting these beautiful families. Now, it's in Freebs Nations' hands to support these families or organizations how you can! You will be able to donate directly to the nominee's Venmo accounts.

Let's try to raise as much as we can for each of the three families/causes that are selected! I KNOW we can make such a GIANT impact if each of us just donates $1!

We will share the grand total of how much our Freebs are able to donate and make an impact by the end of next week.

Who's excited just thinking of all of the good that we are about to do?!?! I sure am!!!

Woman holding Christmas lights and money, from Fun Cheap or Free

WHY SECRET SANTA? HOW DID IT START?

In the last several years, my businesses have been blessed. Feeling overwhelmed with gratitude, in 2016 I decided to take income that ads bring to my site and give it back to some special Freebs in need to help pay for their Christmas.

Not knowing where to start, I turned to you Freebs for nominations and suggestions. Hundreds of nominations poured in within hours, and as I read every one, I was overwhelmed. Blown away. Broken-hearted. Strengthened. (All the feels, basically.) My heart swelled in joy over you good Freebs who took the time to share such stories with me, but also so sad for those who were going through such hard things.

I sponsored three different families and gave them each $500 to help pay for their Christmas. I am still in contact with these sweet families; they have touched my heart to the core. I feel a special bond and connection with them that will (for lack of a less cheesy term…) stay with me forever.

But then, something amazing happened…

Wouldn't you know… in 2016, you Freebs were also touched by the stories I shared! Donations, none of which I even asked for, poured in and we were able to help 14 MORE families with your additional donations! I can't describe the feeling of going to my PayPal account and seeing so many hundreds of dollars, generously donated.

Over the last 7 years, we have helped hundreds of families through your generous donations and support. It continues to be a treasured tradition at Christmastime. Just read the stories in this post from our amazing recipients who wanted to say thank you to everyone who donated. (Bring tissues!) You can really make a difference in a stranger's life with just a few dollars in donations. It feels good to help someone out with no strings attached!

THANK YOU! We could NOT do this without you!

 

5 Comments

  1. Felicia Graves

    I nominated a friend, but did not see a place on the form for a picture. Is there a way I can still submit that?

    Reply
    • FunCheapOrFree

      Great catch! If selected, we will request the photo from the nominee along with their permission to share. I will update this detail in the blog. Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Casey Lowery

    I know this may not be the right thing but I nominate myself. I am a single momma who receives no help from my children’s dad. I work 2 jobs and as much overtime as I can and can never seem to get ahead. Bills are falling behind. And just to the point where I don’t know what to do. Then with Christmas has made things so much harder. I wanna give my kids a good Christmas and just don’t know how. I pray so hard for things to turn around and they just never do. Please help a single momma just trying to make a good life for her kiddos!!!

    Reply
  3. Kathy Hansen

    Where can we see the update of how much was raised?

    Reply
    • FunCheapOrFree

      I will add that to the blog post, thank you for reminding me! We had shared the total amount raised on social media. It was a little over $32,000 combined 🙂

      Reply

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