Foster children and their families from all over the city made their way through the snow to the Alumnae Lounge Sunday for an afternoon of cake, face painting and socializing.
Volunteers from the Alumni Association and the Tufts Boston Alliance organized the 18th annual Foster Children's Holiday Party. About 150 foster children and their families attended.
Children ran around the building, eating and singing. Tables were filled with boxes of pizza and cake, and the walls were decorated with holiday signs, lights and ribbons. Santa also made an appearance.
This year there were over 100 volunteers, including students, alumni and staff. Dan Kaplan (LA '96) was the head of the planning committee.
Many tables had arts and crafts, such as decorating cookies, making snowmen and snowflakes, origami and face -painting. "It's so much fun seeing all the kids so happy, especially when Santa comes," sophomore volunteer Andrea Mora said.
The Jackson Jills sang holiday carols and led children in a dance to "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." Other children and their families and friends ate ice cream donated by JP Licks and played with balloons.
Companies donated the food and gifts for the event. Pepsi and Welch's supplied drinks and nine different restaurants donated pizza. Johnnie's Food Master supplied the cake and cookies.
All of the leftovers were donated to local hospitals and Medford Family Life, a transitional housing and counseling center for children and their parents.
Cindi O'Connell, a foster parent for 15 years who has taken in over 40 children, has attended the event the past 12 years. "The kids all enjoy it," she said. "It's just a great thing they do for them."
Shayna, O'Connell's 15-year-old-daughter, said she enjoys seeing the other children each year. "I like to meet with my other friends here," she said.
The event provided a good opportunity for the foster children to socialize, O'Connell said. "Sometimes they feel outcast, especially when they are first brought into a new home, and this gives them an opportunity to mix and mingle," she said.
The event also gives friends and siblings in separate foster homes the opportunity to reunite and spend time together.
Foster families from Medford, Somerville, Arlington, Everett, Cambridge, Melrose and Stoneham were invited to the event.
Kelly Taylor (LA '96), who was in charge of logistics, said the event was just as successful as in past years.
"It's simple but it really makes a difference in their lives," Scott Reed (E '79) said.
At the end of the event, each child was given a gift and a book, which were also donated.
Associate Director of Alumni Relations Jonathan Burton said the organizers were glad to help out with the event. "It's the one event that we are really proud of, so it's nice to see it getting a little recognition," he said.
