A good staff Christmas donation letter is short, warm and clear. Employees want to know what the drive is, how to give, when it ends and that giving is their choice.
Below are five staff Christmas donation letters, followed by a free builder to write your own. You can print the letter or copy it.
AdvertisementAll names, companies, charities, addresses and numbers are fictional examples. Replace them with your own true details.
5 Staff Christmas Donation Letter Samples
Quick jump: Toy driveFood driveSchool staffCoat driveJeans dayFree staff Christmas donation letter builder
Staff Christmas Toy Drive Letter
Human Resources Director
Linden Crest Insurance Group
45 Linden Crest Plaza
Hartford, CT 06103
(555) 010-0412 | amanda.pierce@email.com
November 2, 2026
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to invite you to join our Staff Christmas Toy Drive at Linden Crest Insurance Group. This year, we have partnered with Bright Lantern Toy Fund to bring a new toy to 150 children in our community.
Our goal is to collect 150 new, unwrapped toys by Friday, December 11. A toy or book worth $10 to $20 is a great fit, and you are welcome to give more or less. Collection boxes are in the lobby on every floor, and I will empty them each afternoon. Last year, our staff gave 180 toys, and the charity told us it was the largest office gift it received.
Giving is completely voluntary, and nobody will ask whether you took part. Bright Lantern Toy Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and you can ask it for a receipt for any gift you give directly. Questions go to me at the number above.
Thank you for helping 150 children wake up to a gift.
With thanks,
Amanda Pierce
Human Resources Director, Linden Crest Insurance Group
Staff Christmas Food Drive Letter
Clinic Administrator
Redwood Bend Family Clinic
812 Redwood Bend Road
Sacramento, CA 95814
(555) 010-0438 | christopher.hayes@email.com
November 2, 2026
Dear Team,
I am writing to invite every member of our staff to join the Christmas Food Drive at Redwood Bend Family Clinic. Our patients tell us every week that groceries are the first thing they cut when money is tight, so we are filling 120 holiday food boxes for Valley Table Food Pantry.
Each box needs canned vegetables, rice, pasta, peanut butter, stuffing and cranberry sauce, and we will pack boxes in the break room on Friday, December 11 at 12:30 p.m. Drop off food in the red bins by the front desk and the staff entrance through December 10. If you would rather give money, a $30 gift fills one box, and the clinic will match the first $1,500 given on the pantry’s website.
Giving is voluntary, and there is no sign-up sheet to join. Valley Table Food Pantry is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and can send a receipt for gifts made on its site. Call me at the number above with any questions.
Thank you for caring for our patients in one more way this season.
With thanks,
Christopher Hayes
Clinic Administrator, Redwood Bend Family Clinic
Adopt-a-Family Letter for School Staff
Principal
Maple Terrace Elementary School
300 Maple Terrace Drive
Denver, CO 80205
(555) 010-0467 | brian.collins@email.com
November 2, 2026
Dear Maple Terrace Staff,
I am writing to invite our teachers and staff to join the Adopt-a-Family Christmas Program at Maple Terrace Elementary School. Cedar Door Family Center has given us the wish lists of six families from our own neighborhood, and each grade-level team can adopt one.
Adopting a family means choosing two gifts for each child, one warm item of clothing and a grocery gift card of about $50 for the household. The center gives us each family’s wish list and sizes, and we do not share any names. Gifts are due, wrapped, in the front office by Friday, December 11, and the PTA will help deliver them to the center.
Giving is voluntary, and teams can share the cost however they like. Cedar Door Family Center is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Reach me or our office manager with any questions before you pick a family.
Thank you for caring for the families in our own neighborhood.
With thanks,
Brian Collins
Principal, Maple Terrace Elementary School
Winter Coat and Giving Drive Letter
Jennifer Ramirez
Operations Manager
Northgate Freight Co.
2250 Northgate Parkway
Columbus, OH 43219
(555) 010-0495 | jennifer.ramirez@email.com
November 2, 2026
Dear Team,
I am writing to invite you to our Staff Winter Coat and Giving Drive at Northgate Freight Co. We are collecting 100 warm coats and $5,000 for Warm Hands Shelter, which serves about 90 people a night through the winter.
New or gently used coats, hats and gloves can go in the bins at the dispatch office and the loading dock through Friday, December 11. For a cash gift, you can give on the shelter’s website, and Northgate Freight Co. will match every dollar given by staff up to $2,500. Last year, our drivers and warehouse crew gave 65 coats, and we want to beat that number.
Giving is voluntary, and the shelter will send a receipt to anyone who gives online. Warm Hands Shelter is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Questions go to me at the number above.
Thank you for keeping our neighbors warm this winter.
With thanks,
Jennifer Ramirez
Operations Manager, Northgate Freight Co.
Christmas Jeans Day Fundraiser Letter
Kevin Turner
Store Manager
Summit Hardware and Supply
78 Summit Avenue
Boise, ID 83702
(555) 010-0521 | kevin.turner@email.com
November 2, 2026
Dear Summit Team,
I am writing to invite you to our Christmas Jeans Day Fundraiser at Summit Hardware and Supply. Every Friday in December, you can wear jeans and a Christmas sweater to work for a $5 donation, and every dollar goes to Gem State Kids Fund to buy winter boots for local children.
Our goal is to raise $600 by Friday, December 18, which buys 20 pairs of boots. Drop your $5 in the jar by the time clock each Friday, or give a larger gift if you like. I will count the jar with the assistant manager each week and post the total in the break room. I will add the first $100 myself, and the store will match the rest of the total up to $300.
Giving is voluntary, and everyone is welcome to wear a Christmas sweater whether or not they donate. Gem State Kids Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and I will send the whole total to the fund in one gift. Talk to me with any questions.
Thank you for keeping 20 children’s feet warm this winter.
With thanks,
Kevin Turner
Store Manager, Summit Hardware and Supply
Free Staff Christmas Donation Letter Builder
Step 1. What kind of Christmas drive is it?
Step 2. Whose voice should the letter use?
Step 3. Tap the lines to add. Three to five is plenty.
Step 4. Click any text in the letter and type to make it yours.
Replace the names, organization, address, goal and every detail with your own. Use only true numbers, keep giving voluntary, and delete any line that does not fit.
Megan Foster
Human Resources Manager
Ashford Ridge Manufacturing
1200 Ashford Ridge Road
Dayton, OH 45402
(555) 010-0316 | megan.foster@email.com
November 2, 2026
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to invite you to join our Staff Christmas Toy Drive at Ashford Ridge Manufacturing. This year, we have partnered with a local children’s charity to bring a new toy to 150 children who would otherwise wake up to nothing.
I am writing to invite you to take part in our Staff Christmas Food Drive at Ashford Ridge Manufacturing. Every can and box you give will go to a local food pantry, and our goal is to fill 200 holiday food boxes for families in our community.
I am writing to invite you and your team to join our Staff Adopt-a-Family Christmas Program at Ashford Ridge Manufacturing. Each team that adopts a family will choose gifts and groceries for a local household that has asked for help this Christmas.
Every gift, big or small, shows our neighbors that this company cares.
Our team has always shown up for each other, and this is a chance to show up for our neighbors.
Our staff giving committee has made this a tradition, and your help keeps it going.
Our goal this year is to reach 150 local families by Friday, December 11.
Gifts are due by Friday, December 11, so volunteers have time to sort and deliver them before Christmas.
Last year, our staff gave more than 300 gifts and meals, the most we have ever collected.
A new toy, book or grocery item worth $10 to $20 is a great fit, and you are welcome to give more or less.
Collection boxes are in the main lobby, the break room and the warehouse office, open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If you prefer to give money, you can donate on the charity’s website, and I will email the link this week.
Ashford Ridge Manufacturing will match every cash gift made through the charity’s website, up to $3,000.
Giving is completely voluntary, and nobody will ask whether you took part.
We also need volunteers to wrap and sort gifts in the main conference room on December 14 and 15.
The charity is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and you can ask it for a receipt for any gift you give directly.
Questions go to me at (555) 010-0316 or megan.foster@email.com.
Thank you for helping make Christmas brighter for our community.
With thanks,
Megan Foster
Human Resources Manager, Ashford Ridge Manufacturing
To save your letter: press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac) and choose Save as PDF. Only the letter prints. To copy it, select the text inside the letter and press Ctrl+C or Cmd+C.
Which Letter Fits Your Workplace?
| Your workplace | Best sample | What to highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Office with many departments | Sample 1 | Toy goal, boxes on every floor and a deadline |
| Clinic, hospital or medical office | Sample 2 | Food box list, packing time and a company match |
| School or district | Sample 3 | Adopt-a-family steps and privacy for families |
| Warehouse, trucking or shift work | Sample 4 | Drop-off places for every shift and a match |
| Retail store or small team | Sample 5 | A small ask, a clear total and a fun way to give |
The Three-Paragraph Formula
| Paragraph | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Invitation | Says what the drive is and which company it is for | I am writing to invite you to join our Staff Christmas Toy Drive. |
| 2. Details | Gives the goal, deadline, drop-off places and ways to give | Our goal is 150 toys by Friday, December 11. |
| 3. Close | Keeps giving voluntary, adds the receipt note and contact | Giving is completely voluntary. Questions go to me. |
Keep the letter to one page. Short and specific beats long and formal.
What to Put in a Staff Donation Letter
| Part of the letter | What to write |
|---|---|
| Opening | Name the drive and your company in the first sentence |
| Goal | Give a number of families, gifts or dollars |
| Deadline | Pick a firm date a few days before volunteers deliver |
| Drop-off | Name each place and the hours it is open |
| Ways to give | List gifts, cash, online giving and any company match |
| Voluntary note | Say that giving is optional and private |
| Receipt note | Tell staff to ask the charity for a receipt |
| Contact | Add your title, phone and email |
Tips for a Staff Christmas Drive That Works
- Make one clear ask. State the goal and the deadline in the first paragraph.
- Make giving easy. Put collection boxes where every shift walks by.
- Keep it voluntary. Say that nobody will be asked who took part.
- Pick a local charity. Staff give more when they can see who benefits.
- Share the result. Post the total and a thank-you within a week.
Donation Receipt Rules From the IRS
| IRS rule for donors (Topic 506) | What it says |
|---|---|
| Who can receive deductible gifts | Only qualified organizations. Gifts to individuals are not deductible |
| Cash gifts of any amount | The donor needs a bank record or a written communication from the charity showing its name, the amount and the date |
| Gifts of $250 or more | The donor needs a written acknowledgment that states the amount and whether the charity gave anything in return |
| Noncash gifts over $500 in total | The donor files Form 8283 |
| Itemizing | Donors generally deduct gifts only if they itemize. For tax year 2026 and later, non-itemizers may deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 if filing jointly) of cash gifts to certain qualified organizations |
These rules apply to donors in the United States. Ask a tax professional or the IRS about your own situation before you promise staff a deduction.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Pressuring staff. Replace “everyone is expected to give” with a clear voluntary note.
- Being vague. Add a goal, a deadline and a drop-off place.
- Promising a deduction. Tell staff to ask the charity for a receipt instead.
- Collecting cash with no plan. Send gifts straight to the charity or count them with a second person.
- Typos. Proofread twice and check every name, date and dollar amount.
Donation Letter Checklist
Tick each item as you finish. The letter is ready when the counter reaches 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a staff Christmas donation letter?
It is a short letter or email from an employer, manager or giving committee that invites employees to donate to a Christmas cause. The cause can be a toy drive, a food drive, an adopted family or a cash fundraiser.
What should the letter include?
Say what the drive is and which company or team it is for in the first sentence. Add a goal, a deadline, where to drop off gifts, how to give money, whether the company will match gifts and who to contact.
Who should send it?
The sender is usually the human resources manager, the owner, a department head or the staff giving committee. A letter from someone staff already know and trust gets the best response.
Should giving be voluntary?
Yes. Say that giving is voluntary and that nobody will ask who took part. Pressure hurts morale, and some employees cannot afford to give.
When should I send it?
Send it in early November so people have time to shop and plan. Give a firm deadline, such as the second Friday in December, so volunteers can sort and deliver gifts before Christmas.
Which charity should we choose?
Pick a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in your own community. You can check its status in the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool, and you can ask the charity what it needs most.
Can employees deduct their gifts?
Only gifts to qualified organizations are deductible, and gifts to individuals are not. A donor needs a record for any cash gift and a written acknowledgment for any gift of $250 or more, so tell staff to ask the charity for a receipt.
Should the company match gifts?
A match raises more money and shows leadership support. State the cap, such as the first $3,000, and the date the match ends.
How long should the letter be?
One page or about four short paragraphs. Staff should understand the ask, the deadline and the drop-off place in under a minute.
How do I thank staff afterward?
Send a short email within a week that shares the total raised, the number of gifts and one story from the charity. People give again when they see the result.
Conclusion
A good staff Christmas donation letter invites rather than pressures. Name the drive, set a goal and a deadline, say where to give and keep it voluntary. Use the samples and builder above to write yours today.
Related Reading
- Solicitation letter for Christmas donations
- Donation request letter for a nonprofit
- Thank you letter for a donation
- Solicitation letter for Christmas party donations
Sources: Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 506, Charitable Contributions. Sample letters, names, companies and charities are fictional.