WBRZ and St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge Reimagine Holiday Giving During Inaugural Santa Shop

This Christmas season, St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge (SVDPBR) launched its inaugural Santa Shop, an innovative two-week holiday giving experience designed to empower families and uphold their dignity, presented in partnership with WBRZ.

The collaboration combined local generosity, volunteers, and planning to expand the event’s reach and ensure families enjoyed a welcoming, respectful celebration.

The Santa Shop served more than 3,100 children, providing approximately 9,345 gifts valued at over $327,000. Unlike some traditional approaches, SVDPBR designed the experience to prioritize parents.

For many parents facing financial hardship, the inability to provide Christmas gifts can be painful, causing shame and anxiety. The Santa Shop was created to alleviate this burden by providing a supportive setting where parents can choose gifts for their children.

According to SVDP's President and Chief Executive Officer, Sunnie Johnson-Lain, Santa Shop is about more than gifts; it’s about dignity.

“By allowing parents to choose the items their children truly want and need, we’re honoring their role, their voice, and their love,” said Johnson-Lain, for SVDP. “Choice transforms charity into relationship, and that is where dignity takes root.”

The Santa Shop finale was held Saturday, December 20. Special guests, including Sylvia Weatherspoon and Bishop Michael Duca, joined volunteers in greeting families and sharing in the joy of the season. Their presence underscored the community-wide commitment to uplifting families and ensuring that every child felt valued and celebrated.

During the finale of the Santa Shop, even Santa Claus made a special appearance, greeting children with smiles, laughter, and plenty of holiday cheer. His visit added an extra moment of magic to the experience, delighting children as they posed for photos and shared in the joy of the season.

One local mother who participated in the program shared how important it is for parents to choose their children's gifts themselves. This makes the whole experience special and personal.

“I feel like that's a blessing. Like, it's really a blessing because not everybody can buy gifts like that,” she said. “Two gifts can make a lot for a kid, and I really appreciated this, honestly, from the bottom of my heart. I really appreciate it.”

More than 300 volunteers and community partners made the event possible, providing toys, welcoming families, wrapping gifts, and providing compassion throughout.

Seeing neighbors choose gifts for their own children has been incredibly meaningful for husband-and-wife volunteers Billy and Ruthie Coenen. Everyone has been gracious and appreciative, highlighting the impact of parents personally selecting something for their families.

"It's always better to give than to receive," said Billy Coenen. "When you give your time, effort, and money to organize and participate in these types of events, you see people who are really and truly in need. It makes you feel great. I just feel like our purpose is to seek and find the forgotten.”

By transforming how holiday support is delivered, St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge offers a model that puts choice and joy at the forefront for families in need.

SVDPBR hopes to make Santa Shop an annual tradition, expanding its reach and impact.