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Secret Snowflake is the Mayor’s Office’s annual winter gift-giving initiative which mobilizes private sector employees and other groups to answer wishes, or "letters", from youth in-need. Through this initiative, youth receive a variety of gifts, such as board games, cards, books, movies, toys, as well as crucial necessities, like clothing, shoes, and coats for the winter.
Secret Snowflake letters are written by or on behalf of youth between the ages of 0 and 18 who receive social services from the City, including youth in the foster care system, shelter system, temporary housing, and children being raised by kinship caregivers.
Aside from answering letters, volunteers can support by providing an online in-kind donation (see below) or monetary donation to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC. Over the last 15 years, Secret Snowflake has helped answer tens of thousands of youths' wishes. This past year alone, Secret Snowflake served over 14,000 children, the highest number in a single winter season in the program's history.
8,000+ Youth
served in 2025
15+ Years
supporting NYC youth through cross-sector collaboration
Tens of Thousands
of letters answered across program history
How to Support Secret Snowflake
- Letter Matching: The traditional way to participate! Volunteers fulfill youth-written wish letters.
- Online In-Kind Donation: A new way to participate, especially great for remote employees! Volunteers complete an online in-kind donation form where they select and pledge to donate items from an extensive wishlist.
- Monetary Donation to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC: A lower-lift, high-impact way to participate! Volunteers send a monetary donation to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC. Funds are used to purchase toys and crucial necessities for youth.
Press & Media
- 2024 Press Release: NYC Service Donation Drive Reaches 14,300 Youths In Temporary Housing
- News 12 Coverage: Secret Snowflake: City Organizations Take Part in Citywide Giving Initiative
For more information, contact Mel Anderson, Corporate Partnerships Coordinator, at
secretsnowflake@cityhall.nyc.gov
Secret Snowflake sign-up is closed.