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FREE Christmas Gifts & Food in Missouri!

FREE Christmas Gifts & Food in Missouri!

Need a little Christmas help? We know firsthand how frustrating it is when you can’t provide your kiddos with a huge holiday celebration. Sometimes, financial stress can make the holidays downright stressful and depressing. Fortunately, there are agencies that can help with free Christmas gifts and food in Missouri!

Get Free Christmas Help in Missouri

No matter where you are, you might be able to get free Christmas gifts and food in Missouri when you contact these major nationwide charities. Using these resources, your holiday could be merry and bright!

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in Missouri is well known for bringing Christmas relief during the holiday season. Their Red Kettle campaigns and Angel Trees are visible in many areas throughout the state.

The Angel Tree program matches low income children with generous donors who provide personalized requested gifts to children and sometimes even seniors in need. This program is very helpful for those who qualify.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Low income children and perhaps even seniors may be eligible for Angel Tree assistance.

HOW TO APPLY: You may be able to apply online directly using the Salvation Army Angel Tree website. However, not all Salvation Army chapters use this application process so you may need to contact your local chapter using the Location Tool on their website instead.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is a wonderful program that brings Christmas cheer to kids in Missouri. Run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, it collects new toys and gives them to children who might not otherwise get Christmas presents. The idea is to make sure every child feels the joy of the holiday season.

In Missouri, Toys for Tots works with local volunteers to gather and hand out these toys. People in the community help by donating toys or their time. This teamwork makes the program successful and brings a lot of happiness to children.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Typically, children ages 0-12 are eligible for free Christmas gifts from Toys for Tots. However, the age limit may vary depending on your location. Toys for Tots is available in most Ohio counties. As of 2023, only 37 Ohio counties are not covered by this program.

HOW TO APPLY: Applying is easy! Just visit the Toys for Tots website and click the “Request a Toy” button to get started.

Other Christmas Help

Don’t forget to check out our Nationwide Christmas Directory for even more Christmas help in Missouri! We’ve found many nationwide organizations that provide free Christmas trees, free Christmas food, gifts and so much more!

Local Christmas Help in Missouri

Some of the best sources of holiday help often come right from your county! No matter how long you’ve lived here, you might not know about some of these resources. Just scroll through the list below to find your county subheading to find out what is available near you.

Jackson County

Community Services League provides a gift or toy for low income children as well as a food box for the family. Parents may also receive socks. In order to get help, you need to contact the CLS location nearest you. Each one only serves their local community so it’s important to pick the right office.

Jefferson County

Feed My People in High Ridge operates a Christmas assistance program for those who need it. They have both a Giving Tree and an Adopt-a-Family program that may be able to help you. These programs can provide toys, games, clothing, groceries, personal care items and Thrifty gift certificates. You’ll need to contact the organization for details.

Jefferson County Toy and More is a small organization that invites impoverished families living in Jefferson County to apply for free Christmas toys during the holiday season. This program collects new, unwrapped toys from members of the community and organizations and distributes them to registered families.

Lincoln County

Calvary Chapel in Troy serves anyone in the local community who is in need of food. They may also be able to help you with ingredients for your holiday meal. The pantry is open on Saturday mornings.

St. Charles County

JA Care Service in St. Charles has an Adopt-A-Family program that serves children and seniors each holiday season. This program provides food and gifts to those who qualify. You may be able to receive items for each member of their household, such as toys, clothing, household items, and more. However, you must already be receiving other assistance from Care Service in order to participate in the holiday assistance program.

St. Louis (City)

Feed My People in St. Louis operates a Christmas assistance program for those who need it. They have both a Giving Tree and an Adopt-a-Family program that may be able to help you. These programs can provide toys, games, clothing, groceries, personal care items and Thrifty gift certificates. You’ll need to contact the organization for details.

The Little Bit Foundation in St. Louis provides essential help to local families. It is not clear if they have a specific holiday program, but they can provide winter clothing, new shoes, and hygiene products to students who attend schools in the area.

Loaves and Fishes in St. Louis hosts many seasonal programs that benefit people in the community. Their programs include a Thanksgiving event, Easter event, school supplies giveaways and more. Their annual Season of Giving Christmas Program provides food and gifts to their shelter residents and the families served by their food pantry. You must already be being served by Loaves and Fishes to get help through this program.

Santa’s Helpers in St. Louis provides up to six gifts per child for low income families who live in their service area. The gifts include three books and an age-appropriate educational toy. In order to get help from them, you must be referred by your child’s school social worker, the Social Services office, Parents as Teachers, Nurses for Newborns or Big Brothers Big Sisters.

St. Anthony Of Padua in St. Louis has a food pantry in the Church basement. They provide free food and clothing to people who live in these specific zip codes: 63111, 63116 and 63118. Legal assistance and other services may occasionally be available.

St. Louis Dream Center in St. Louis provides an annual Christmas Store. This program provides help to families who participate in the Dream Center’s after-school programs or who attend local schools. The local schools are listed as Hickey, Farragut, Yeatman and Ashland. The Christmas event includes free breakfast and free Christmas gifts to those who need them.

St. Louis County

CAASTLC in Overland provides a food bank and other support for low income families in St. Louis County. In the past, they have had a Christmas program but it is not clear if that program has continued. At the very least, this organization may be able to help you with food for your holiday meal.

Mission Gate Prison Ministry in Chesterfield offers a Christmas Angel program for children of inmates or ex-offenders in St. Louis County. This program brings these children Christmas gifts to help bring more stability to their home during the holidays. These families are also invited to the annual Christmas party for free food, toys, and entertainment.

Santa’s Helpers in St. Louis provides up to six gifts per child for low income families who live in their service area. The gifts include three books and an age-appropriate educational toy. In order to get help from them, you must be referred by your child’s school social worker, the Social Services office, Parents as Teachers, Nurses for Newborns or Big Brothers Big Sisters.

St. Louis County Government coordinates an annual Adopt-a-Family Holiday Project for low income residents in the area. They serve over 4,000 families every year! This program can provide free Christmas gifts, food, clothing, toys, household items and even financial assistance with rent and utilities. You’ll need to contact the program coordinator for details.

Chapel Of The Cross in St. Louis provides free food through the Helping Hands Food Pantry. It appears that they serve people who reside in St. Louis County.

Relief Recap

There are many ways to get free Christmas help in Missouri this holiday season! From toy donations to festive meals, these programs ensure that everyone can celebrate the season joyfully. For detailed information on how to receive this help, please refer to the agencies listed in our article. If you need more options or assistance, calling 211 can connect you to additional resources and support in your area.

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.

Catherine Marucci

Sunday 26th of November 2023

Hi. If the resources above are not helpful, it may be worth calling 211 to see if there is anything else they can suggest.

Catherine Marucci

Sunday 26th of November 2023

Hi. If the resources above are not helpful, it may be worth calling 211 to see if there is anything else they can suggest.

Catherine Marucci

Wednesday 8th of November 2023

Hi, if the resources above are not helpful, it may be worth calling 211 to see if they know of any other options.

Gena mahan

Wednesday 8th of November 2023

I'm also in macon county mo area

Catherine Marucci

Wednesday 8th of November 2023

Hi, if the resources above are not helpful, it may be worth calling 211 to see if they know of any other options.

Madelynne

Friday 2nd of December 2022

Franklin county?