Yes, Virginia Grants
Note that Yes, Virginia Grants are by invitation only.
In 1897, Frank Church, editor of The New York Sun, responded to eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, who wrote to the newspaper to ask “is there a Santa Claus?” More than a century later it remains the most reprinted editorial ever to run in any newspaper in the United States.
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus!”
For 29 years, the Yes, Virginia Endowment has supported children in need in the Pasadena community at the holidays. The endowment provides grants to local nonprofit agencies to provide toys, books, gifts, and special experiences for the holidays in an effort to help all children feel valued and supported in their lives.
Since 1994, the Yes, Virginia Fund has granted $390,000 to local nonprofit agencies to help address the needs of our community’s children. In 2019, the Yes, Virginia Fund reached its endowment goal, and will make its holiday grants to local nonprofit agencies every year, for decades to come.
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” means that no child is meant to go without. We are committed to our credo: “Some things have to be believed to be seen.”
Nondiscrimination Policy
The Pasadena Community Foundation does not make grants from its discretionary funds to organizations that discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, age, color, gender identity, marital or parental status, military service, national origin, physical or mental ability, political affiliation, sexual orientation or religion.
2023 Grantees:
- Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena
- Door of Hope
- Elizabeth House
- Families Forward Learning Center
- Flintridge Center
- Friends Outside in LA County
- Harambee Christian Family Center
- Impact House
- Learning Works
- Pasadena Altadena Coalition of Transformative Leaders (PACTL)
- Pasadena Altadena Links
- Treasure Little Children Foundation
