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Santa’s Helpers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital need your help to make wishes come true for local children and their families.

In an annual tradition, NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital employees are raising funds to buy holiday gifts for deserving children in the Cortlandt Manor area. Since July, employees have been raising funds to support the Hospital’s annual labor of love.

"Last year we had Hurricane Sandy and that made fundraising a bit of a challenge. We are hoping that this year we will be able to raise more than we did last year," said John Federspiel, President of NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital, who started the tradition 18 years ago. "We have so many generous people at the Hospital and in the community who support this great cause. Thanks to all of them we have been able to keep going year after year."

The Hospital plans to spend $125 per child on about 100 children, and will add a child for each $125 that it raises. The Westchester County Department of Social Services provides the Hospital with wish lists from families.

On Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. in the Wagner Conference Room staff will begin wrapping gifts that will be delivered to families in need. Pajamas and books, dolls, trucks, boots, socks and tons of toys will be packaged in a few short hours. Santa is expected to stop by to supervise the Hospital elves at work.

But before the wrapping can begin, employees must continue to do some fundraising and shopping. To raise money, the Hospital staff sold raffles and employees paid $10 each for the privilege of wearing denim to work on two Fridays.

Sue Lepore, facilitator of the program in the administration office at HVHC, has the job of sorting through letters containing the wish lists of needy children and their families. She then assigns gift shopping to Hospital employees who spend an entire afternoon wrapping the gifts at a festive wrapping party. Many times families and social service workers stop by during the afternoon to pick up the gifts.

"We hope that people in the community will help us to support this very worthy project," said Lepore. "These children ask for so little. We try to make this a great holiday by giving them more than they request."

For more information on donating to the Santa’s Helper’s Project visit hvhc.npgdev.com or call Sue Lepore at 914-734- 3287.