Vanguard employees play Santa to area youth

Children throughout the region will receive gifts donated through mutual fund company’s program

TREDYFFRIN » Employees of mutual fund company Vanguard on Thursday loaded trucks with toys to be delivered to more than 1,800 local children through nonprofit partners such as Delaware Valley Children’s Charities, or DVCC, Sponsor-A-Child Program and Toys 4 Tots gift drives. Employees also gave monetary donations with a corporate match to Cradles for Crayons, CHOP, the Salvation Army and others.

Hundreds of bikes and thousands of toys, clothing, and electronics were loaded onto agency trucks at Vanguard’s warehouse on Devon Park Drive to be delivered to families in need that DVCC supports including: ChesPenn Health Services, Community Action Agency and Easter Seals Society, among others.

Over six weeks, thousands of Vanguard employees volunteer their time planning, shopping, wrapping and organizing donations in time for the holidays, the company said.

It is part of Vanguard’s annual giving season, which compliments the firm’s signature community stewardship program, Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program. A new aspect of the Giving Season program this year was electronic giving via credit card which drove in over $17,000 in additional donations. Vanguard’s Strong Start For Kids Program provides funding and support toward initiatives and non-profit organizations that allow young children the opportunity to thrive in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Arizona, where the majority of Vanguard employees work, the company said.

SUBMITTED PHOTO More than 30 Vanguard volunteers get ready to load gifts onto agency trucks for Vanguard’s annual Sponsor-A-Child initiative.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Over six weeks, thousands of crew volunteer their time supporting Vanguard’s annual giving season.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Gifts for more than 1,800 children were piled into trucks Thursday to be distributed by local agencies.

SUBMITTED PHOTO More than 1,800 children will receive gifts through Vanguard’s partnership with DVCC’s Sponsor-A-Child Program.