Pride supports MaryAnne’s Kids Fund through ornament sales

Date: 1/15/2015

SPRINGFIELD – Pride Stores President Marsha Del Monte presented MaryAnne’s Kids Fund, a charitable fund that benefits children in the Center for Human Development (CHD) Foster Care programs, with a donation of $25,000 at Pride’s Corporate Office recently.

Every year, Pride Stores sell $1 ornaments in each of its 30 locations during the holidays.

“We are grateful to all the Pride customers who supported this important fundraiser.” Del Monte said. “MaryAnne’s Kids ensures that children in foster care have opportunities they might not have otherwise: music, dance or art classes, the chance to play on a sports team or go to summer camp. These things are an important part of raising resilient children. We are proud to be able to support them.”

“The Pride family wrapped their arms once again around the MaryAnne’s Kids Fund. Their efforts and generosity have astonished and humbled us,”  Jim Williams, program director of the CHD Children and Families Programs, who administers the fund, said.

Pride also hosts an annual Children’s Holiday Party for CHD’s foster children and foster parents to enjoy food, games, arts and crafts, photos with Santa and much more. In addition Pride and their customers give hundreds of gifts to foster children through the “Giving Trees” that they sponsor.

The CHD MaryAnne’s Kids Fund was established in 2000 in memory of MaryAnne Sadak-Eklof, a foster parent who died in 1999 at the age of 46. The fund was started by MaryAnne’s sister, Eva Santaniello of Longmeadow, who died in 2007, and is managed by CHD. CHD also hosts a dinner-dance each year to raise money for MaryAnne’s Kids.

Founded in 1972, Pride is recognized as a market leader for competitive pricing, clean stores and exceptional customer service. Pride operates 30 stores in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. Pride’s main office is located on 246 Cottage St.

For more information about store locations and services, visit PrideStores.com.