The strength of women in a million quiet ways has truly been made evident to me as nominations have come in to highlight truly remarkable individuals who are making a difference. Further? They don’t want the spotlight or recognition – they just want to keep doing what they do without the fanfare.

I walked into the backroom at Coffee and Cotton in Mill 5 where Carrie (Gillogan) Carolan, Liz (Creegan) McDevitt, Stacy (Raras) Marsden, and Holly (Quealy) McAnespie were gathered around laptops, piles of paper, and caffeine. It’s Saturday morning, and these aren’t their day jobs. They’re educators, school counselors, and a director of operations for a medical device company. And they’re the brains and brawn behind It’s All About the Kids (IAATK), a non-profit organization that helps make the holidays brighter for children in the Greater Lowell Community.

How It Started

It was more than 25 years ago while working at Community Teamwork, that Carrie got the spark for the idea. She had asked a little girl what Santa brought her for Christmas. The reply:

“Santa doesn’t come to my house.”

From that point an idea was born and Carrie slowly brought the group together to what it is now.

For almost 25 years now, this group has been granting wishes for the children of our community. And they really are wishes. They make sure that kids really get what they want and can feel proud of. Kids will be specific about clothing (e.g., joggers) and also the type of toy they want. Holly noted that all of their own children are specific about what they want and like—why should it be any different for these kids.

It Takes a Village

From the very beginning, Lowell Firefighters helped to deliver the gifts—on their own time and in their own vehicles. And how do they know who is in need and of what? They work closely with school social workers, parent liaisons, and school nurses at Lowell Public Schools, other area schools, Merrimack Valley Food Bank, and pretty much anybody who is looking for help.

These women were very clear that it takes a village.

Early on, a school social worker had shared with Carrie that it takes 30-45 minutes for some of these kids to warm up once they get to school. So yes, this group provides the joy, and they also focus on basic needs for children.  They provide warm clothing, hats, mittens, and gloves.

This year? The highest thing on kids’ wish lists are blankets, sheets, socks, and underwear.

And even with that, these women make sure that they have what they need and a little something extra too.

How DO they do it?

For their big holiday focus, they start as early as October with the Social Workers. The “girls”, as they say they have been dubbed by a local firefighter, were once again quick with acknowledging the hard work of so many others. They were in awe of how the social workers work so hard to understand what each kid needs, their likes, their sizes, etc. They mentioned that while IAATK takes some of them, these social workers then find other organizations for the rest.

Over the course of the next couple of months, they organize, raise funds, and do a lot of shopping. It was great being a fly on the wall as “the girls” started reminiscing about years past and just how many kids they have helped—more than 5,000 and counting. They laughed about being on the hunt for kinetic sand when that was the hot toy, travelling dozens of miles when they got a phone call saying that there are three bikes left at the Target in Chelsea, and keeping an eye on hot toy trends long after their kids outgrew that stage.

Speaking of their kids, they laughed that one of the highlights had been their kids getting their licenses – because while their families have always been an integral part of the operation, it was great that they could now help out with drop-offs and pick-ups! To me, it also showed the importance of modeling this compassionate and selfless behavior. The women were giving gifts to other children, and also an immeasurable one to their own.

But really, HOW do they do it?

Did they mention the village? If not, they really wanted to.

Each year they host an event at Long Meadow—longtime supporters—where people can “adopt” a child, drop-off items, and make a monetary donation. In addition to their personal time and labor, the Lowell Firefighters are also their main source of funding with proceeds for their twice-annual boot drive benefiting the program.

They noted that the work has really highlighted the generosity of Lowellians. it’s not always the big checks. It’s the countless $10 and $20 donations that add up. And each year, they think: this is it, this is the last year—and then they’ll get a $5,000 check from a generous individual to keep it going. They thought COVID might do them in, but there were “little miracles” through the years that kept things going. And it’s not just the holidays. This group supports families in need after catastrophic events such as house fires.

I Get by with a Little Help from my Friends

This group of strong and caring women helps hundreds of children each year to ensure the happiest of holidays. And you can help too. To learn more, “adopt” a child, or make a donation, please email iaatks@gmail.com.

After all, It’s All About the Kids.