One Giving Tree
Since 2014 One Giving Tree has been making the holidays brighter for local kids and their families, youth and adults, and our senior neighbors. We are so grateful for the help and trust of our volunteers, supporters, and sponsors. Thank you!
Help us make the holidays brighter!
About:
One Giving Tree works with established nonprofit agencies to provide Christmas tree “kits” (A fresh cut tree, ornaments, a bio-degradable tree stand with eco-friendly bowl, a waterless hydration system) to local kids and their families, our precious senior citizens, group homes, and others who would otherwise go without a tree during the holidays.
It’s pretty simple. We provide Christmas trees.
Can one tree change the world? An audacious proposal. We know that if we live by our credo; “Making the holidays brighter” anything is possible. We also know that a home without a tree at Christmas time can be a reminder of how tough life is.
We believe that a home filled with the sights and scents of a Christmas tree during the holidays is a reminder that life isn’t so bad, that we belong, and there is hope. We believe a tree can create a sense of wonder, and a little magic.
That wonder and magic provides for good memories in an otherwise difficult environment. These are the building blocks of confidence and success. We believe that for some kids, that’s all it takes to change their world. That’s where the real magic happens.
What we do:
It’s a small thing we do. A small gesture indeed. However, we believe that if you stack those small gestures up over the years of a child’s growth into young adulthood, then maybe… just maybe, it’s enough of a reminder that, although life wasn’t always perfect, people cared.
Maybe that’s enough to provide a little hope and encouragement during the years that matter most – the years where every decision directly impacts the course of one’s life. One tree at the right time just may be enough to build lasting, positive memories in the precious lives of our youth. One tree. One great memory. One sense of belonging. One reminder that life isn’t always so bad, and that people care. One more positive experience in a young person’s life. One reason to not give up. Not now. Not later. Not ever. One way to say to someone you will never meet, “You are loved.” Can one tree change the world? We say “YES!”
One Giving Tree focuses on Making the holidays brighter. We do this one tree at a time, one child at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time. It’s pretty simple. We provide Christmas trees.
Our History:
During an event planning meeting in the winter of 2014, a local business group was offered 10 free trees for a Christmas event they were organizing. The event was to be held on the same evening that was expected to be the first night of the worst storm in years. The trees would need to be cut down across town, cleaned up, delivered, set up onsite the night of the event, and decorated all in the space of a couple hours.
Then, after the 3-hour event, the trees would have to be deconstructed, taken down, removed from the venue, and disposed of. After going over the logistics involved, the gift of the ten free trees looked like a problem too big to solve rather than the blessing it was intended to be. The group decided to pass on the offer.
In the meeting sat our “Chief kid at heart” He saw the problem of 10 trees for the group, as an opportunity for local kids and their families. He secured the trees and started making calls. Within a few short weeks, he found a home for the 10 trees. He also found 26 other families who would be going without a tree. So he turned to friends and family and raised the funds needed to purchase trees, ornaments, tree stands and toppers. Relying on a few tireless volunteers, trusting friends and family, and a few local social service agencies, 36 Christmas tree “kits” were delivered in time for Christmas, and One Giving Tree was born.
One Giving Tree Today:
Fast forward to 2016. Debbi jumped in, bringing event, administrative, and networking skills to the table. Debbi has helped grow One Giving Tree from 36 tree kits donated in 2014 to 450 tree kits donated this year, bringing our total to over 2,000 donated tree kits to date.
Since 2016 her fundraising and event management efforts with our One Bright Night annual fundraiser put us in a position to make it through the two-year economic shutdown and still deliver 332 tree kits in 2020, and 376 tree kits in 2021. By December of 2023, One Giving Tree had delivered over 3,000 tree kits to the communities we serve!
Now a registered 501c3 nonprofit community service organization, our future looks bright. In this post- shutdown world, our mission of making the holidays brighter is more important than ever. In our 10th year, we now also provide a free community garden to local residents free of charge. “Pleasant Valley Garden” is a long held dream of ours, and we are just getting started! Stay tuned as our story grows. Join our newsletter below to keep up on our latest developments!
Learn More about One Giving Tree:
One Giving Tree received the Nonprofit of the Year award from the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce in 2022.
our sponsors
our Sponsors
We want to thank our incredible sponsors who step up to the plate year after year with critical funds, facilities, vehicles, equipment, in-kind donations, and support in various other ways.
We proudly share their businesses as a small gesture to show appreciation for their much-needed support. Our heartfelt thanks to our incredible sponsors!
Please support these local businesses and organizations. They truly are community champions. Contact us anytime for more information!
one giving tree:
In the winter of 2014, One Giving Tree began with ten Christmas trees and a vision. By 2025, we had donated over 4,300 tree kits. By the end of the day on Monday, December 1st, 2026, we expect to have donated more than 5,000 tree kits in total. we donated over 4,300 tree kits. At the end of the day on Monday, December 1st, 2026, we will have donated more than 5,000 tree kits to date.
our location
Communities We Serve
We proudly serve the Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Martin, communities. Through our partner agencies, we extend our area to cover limited parts of South San Jose and Hollister, CA.