As the 2025 holiday season continues to unfold, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. When Murray Education Foundation and Murray City School District launched the “Love Murray: Heart for the Holidays” Angel Tree campaign, we set a hopeful goal to support over 600 students and their families—those in our community facing the most significant economic challenges and high-risk situations.

Today, we are pleased to report that thanks to your overwhelming generosity, every single one of those 600 students was fully supported. While many items on these wish lists were for toys and holiday surprises, a staggering number were for basic essentials: warm clothing, bedding, and learning materials. Because you showed up, these children didn't just receive "gifts"—they received the dignity of warm clothes, the tools to succeed in school, and the profound knowledge that their community cares for them.

A Village of Support

This massive undertaking was made possible through a beautiful tapestry of partnerships. We want to extend a deep, heartfelt thank you to:

• The Murray School-Based Mental Health Team and District Office Personnel: Led by District Prevention Specialist Sierra Marsh, these professionals worked tirelessly behind the scenes to efficiently identify needs, organize the donation collections, and coordinate the distribution.
• Fashion Place Mall: For graciously hosting our Angel Tree and our festive launch event in November.
• Launch Night Performers: For the wonderful performances of the MHS Madrigals, Horizon Bell Choir, and the Hillcrest Dance Company.
• MHS Student and PTA Volunteers: For your energy and dedication in managing the information table and the "Wishing Wall" at the Mall.
• The Murray Chamber of Commerce & Murray Partners for Prevention Coalition: For your unyielding advocacy and support in handling so many little details.
• Murray City: For your continued belief and support of the Murray Education Foundation.
• Our Community Partners: Heartfelt thanks to the various Murray congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Reach Out Today, Murray Sports Mall, Appliance Service by Paul, Larry H. Miller Foundation, KSL Quarters for Christmas, and Gold Systems for coordinating large groups of Angel donors.
• The Road Home: For your incredible spirit of collaboration and sharing your abundance with us.
• ABC4 Good Things Utah, Neighbors of Murray City Magazine, and Murray Journal: For helping us spread word, the joy, and opportunity.

To every individual donor who shopped for a tag or gave a cash donation: You are the heart of Murray. You turned a stressful season into one of "merrier" memories for 600 families. We are already looking forward to keeping this spirit alive; Fashion Place Mall has graciously agreed to host us again next year, with our 2026 Launch Event scheduled for November 13, 2026.

Stories That Moved Us

Behind every tag on the tree was a human story. Here are just three of the many moments that defined this year’s campaign:

• The Gift of Stability: One mother shared that she was facing a choice between buying a single gift or paying her full rent. When she arrived to pick up her donations, she discovered her sponsor had provided not only gifts for her children but a grocery gift card. That card covered her household essentials, allowing her to pay her rent in full and keep her family securely housed.
• A New Home, A New Hope: A family new to our country who has worked incredibly hard to secure a small apartment and jobs was moved to tears when an abundance of household goods and hygiene products arrived alongside toys for their children.
• The Power of Memory: A woman in her late 20s visited the tree specifically to pick a tag because she had been a recipient of an Angel Tree gift as a child. She told our volunteers that she felt it was finally her turn to "complete the circle" and provide that same spark of hope for another child.

 

Want to Read More Stories? We Have Them Below...

The Many Faces of Giving: A Comprehensive Look at Our Community Impact

Below is a collection of the many heartwarming moments recorded during the 2025 "Love Murray" campaign:

• Generations of Giving: A mother/daughter duo celebrated their 40th year of supporting the Angel Tree together.
• Sacrifice for Others: One couple chose to skip their own gift exchange this year to buy gifts for two children on the tree instead.
• The "Allowance" Angel: A young boy saved 10% of his allowance all year, then went shopping to personally pick out items for his "Angel Tree friend."
• Peer to Peer: Many children chose tags for "friends" who were the same age as them, feeling a special connection to the recipient.
• Filling the Hole: A grandmother, raising her granddaughter alone while recovering from a month-long hospitalization and major health debt, wept as volunteers "filled her trunk" with the support she couldn't provide this year.
• A Message from a Recipient: One young student wrote to their "Angel" saying: "I felt very special knowing someone I don’t even know cared about me this much. Your kindness made my days brighter."
• Beyond Toys: When a high school student asked for a bed, a local mattress store stepped up to ensure they received high-quality bedding, pillows, and sheets.
• Lessons in Kindness: Parents were seen in the mall with toddlers in tow, helping carry bags of toys that the parents explained were "for learning how to give."
• A Light in the Dark: For a family battling both cancer and the resulting medical debt, the Angel Tree provided a moment of joy during their most stressful year.
• Unexpected Surprises: One mother, expecting support for only one of her five children, was overwhelmed with emotion when she realized the community had provided gifts for her entire family.
• A Community Connection: A neighborhood group in Sandy shared our Angel Tree link via GroupMe after one member picked up a tag at the Mall, leading to a wave of support from outside district lines.
• The Tradition of Giving: Many families reported that supporting the Murray Angel Tree has officially become their favorite Thanksgiving tradition.

Looking Ahead: Get Your Paddles Ready!

The spirit of giving continues! We are thrilled to announce our 2nd Annual Pickleball Tournament on January 29th and 30th, 2026, at the Murray Sports Mall.

This powerhouse fundraiser directly benefits our Unified Sports athletes (sponsored by Special Olympics) and Special Education students throughout the Murray City School District. Join us for a chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of these remarkable students!

Click Here for Tournament Registration and Information.