ON A MISSION
The mission of the Sled is to assist underprivileged NYC Public School students and their families, most of whom live in shelters or other temporary housing (including being doubled or tripled up with other extended family). The Sled assists families whose children attend public schools identified to the Sled by NYC school professionals.
If you know of a family in need who meets the criteria mentioned above, please encourage them to reach out to their children's school professionals about their needs. We hope to help as many students and their families as feasible.
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About the Sled
You’re all incredible souls!
Can’t thank you enough for helping my most vulnerable.
— NYC School Principal
FIRST RUN
She and classmates at PS 188 received the first ever delivery of the Sugarplum Sled, including her own gift of hair bows, coloring books, and art supplies.
He spent the day helping hand out gifts to every last schoolmate at PS 76. Then he got his wished-for Batman and Batmobile.
She and classmates at PS 188 received the first ever delivery of the Sugarplum Sled, including her own gift of hair bows, coloring books, and art supplies.
The Sled got its start on November 19, 2019 when The New York Times featured a story on the day-in-the-life of two of New York City's 114,085 homeless students. The children in the article, Sandival and Darnell attend PS 188 on Manhattan's Lower East Side and PS 76 in East Harlem. That very day, an annual holiday drive for PS 188 (that was inspired by this story) was canceled.
Hearing the schoolchildren's wishes would go unfulfilled, a few scrappy moms decided to do the drive themselves. These five 'Sugarplum Fairies' took on the wishes of PS 188, created another list with PS 76, added two more schools, and ultimately fulfilled over 1000 wishes while raising $55,000 in an expanded effort to make the season bright.
With the arrival of 2020 and the coronavirus pandemic, the Sugarplum Fairies came back in new tracks. The Sled Drivers deliver essential, emergency relief to children and families suffering through the coronavirus crisis and across every season. But, each holiday, they - and their Fairy Force - sprinkle more of the magic that started it all.