A Letter From The Executive Director

Dear Saint Vincent's Day Home Community,

As we wrap up 2025, December at Saint Vincent’s Day Home has been a month full of generosity, creativity, and celebration. Thanks to the incredible support of our community, our Adopt-A-Family Holiday Gift Drive was a meaningful success, allowing our children and families to enjoy their gifts just in time for the holidays. This cherished tradition brought warmth, relief, and joy to 202 children and their families, reminding us all of the power of community and kindness during this special season.

Our classrooms have been buzzing with festive energy as children explored holiday and winter-themed arts and crafts, creating sparkling ornaments, cheerful snowmen, and colorful seasonal collages. Watching their excitement and pride as they shared their creations was a joyful reminder of the magic, imagination, and creativity that the holidays inspire.

We also had the delight of welcoming community partners like Ricky Roo & Friends, who performed an engaging puppet show for our children, filling the library with laughter and fun. Moments like these, along with our dedicated staff and generous supporters, make the Day Home a place where every child feels nurtured, inspired, and celebrated.

This month, we are also excited to share the highlights of our 2024–2025 Annual Report, which showcases the growth, impact, and accomplishments of the past year. From enhanced early learning programs and enriched play spaces to family resources that promote resilience and well-being, the report reflects the meaningful difference we are able to make thanks to our staff, families, and community supporters.

As we head into winter break, we do so with gratitude for a year of connection, growth, and shared accomplishments. From all of us at Saint Vincent’s Day Home, we wish your family a restful, joyful holiday season and a happy New Year. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2026 for another year of learning, laughter, and community.

With gratitude,

Alexandra Hilario

Executive Director

December Day Home Highlights

December at Saint Vincent’s Day Home has been a season of generosity, creativity, and celebration. Thanks to the incredible support of our community, our Adopt-A-Family Holiday Gift Drive was a meaningful success, and families were able to enjoy their gifts just in time for the holidays. This cherished tradition once again brought warmth, relief, and holiday joy to our 202 children and families, reminding us of the power of community during this special time of year.

Throughout the month, classrooms were filled with festive energy as children engaged in holiday arts and crafts, expressing their creativity through seasonal projects that reflected the joy and wonder of the season. As we head into winter break, we do so with full hearts—grateful for a month of connection, care, and shared celebration. We wish all of our families a restful and joyful winter break and look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year.

Library Buzz: Check Out Our Free Family Library

We’re always excited to share the joy of reading with our children! Stories spark imagination, build language, and open doors to new worlds—helping our little learners grow with curiosity and confidence.

Families, children, and teachers are welcome to visit our free book display located in the hallway. This rotating collection features a variety of children’s books that are perfect for storytime at school or at home.

Although themed collections are on pause for now, there are still plenty of wonderful books to choose from—and best of all, you’re welcome to take them home and keep them! Feel free to browse, pick a few favorites, and enjoy the gift of reading together.

-Ms. Kristi & Ms. Esther

With Gratitude to Our Team

As we close out the year, we want to recognize and thank every member of our Saint Vincent’s Day Home team. Each day, our staff shows up with dedication, compassion, and a deep commitment to nurturing the children and families we serve. Last week, we had the joy of sharing a small token of our appreciation by passing out staff gift totes filled with goodies—a simple gesture to say thank you for the care, energy, and heart our team brings to the Day Home. As this final newsletter of the year goes out, we extend our sincere gratitude to every staff member who makes our community strong. We are incredibly thankful for you and all that you do!

Annual Report: Rooted in Growth, Rising with Purpose

We’re excited to share the key accomplishments from our 2024–2025 Annual Report. Over the past year, Saint Vincent’s Day Home continued to grow and strengthen our programs, enhancing early learning experiences and providing vital support to children and families across our community. From curriculum improvements and enriched play spaces to family resources that promote resilience and well-being, our collective efforts have made a meaningful difference. This impact is only possible because of the generosity and dedication of our supporters, staff, and families.

Spreading Holiday Joy: Adopt-A-Family Gift Drive 2025

Our Annual Adopt-A-Family Holiday Gift Drive was a meaningful success thanks to the generosity of our community. This year, our 202 children and families at Saint Vincent’s Day Home felt the warmth of the season through toy donations, family adoptions, gift cards, and countless helping hands behind the scenes. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Claremont Resort & Club, Lincoln Properties, Oakland Public Library, City National Bank, Kaiser Permanente – Downtown Oakland Offices, Body Bar Pilates - Dublin, Bishop O’Dowd High School, Holy Names High School, Vanguard Oakland, KAPPA Gamma Pi (Berkeley Chapter), Sequoyah Country Club, and the Colombo Ladies Auxiliary for their incredible support.

Be sure to watch our short reel above to see the community spirit and care that made this drive so special.

Festive Fun: Winter Arts & Crafts

This month, our classrooms were filled with holiday cheer as children enjoyed a variety of winter and holiday-themed arts and crafts. They created sparkling ornaments, festive snowmen, and colorful seasonal collages, bringing the joy and creativity of the season to life. It was wonderful to see the children’s excitement as they proudly shared their creations, celebrating their imagination and the magic of the holidays together.

The Parent Toolkit: Sharing is...Complicated! Let’s Talk About It! 

The holiday season often brings changes in routines such as extra playtime, new toys, and more time with siblings, cousins, or extended family and many parents may wonder: “Why is sharing so hard for my kid?” The short answer is: sharing is a developing skill—not a rule to master. From an occupational therapy perspective, sharing grows alongside emotional regulation, communication, and social understanding. All children develop these skills at their own pace. Around 3-4 years the skill of sharing is emerging for many kids but by no means is consistent. Tools that can support kids in sharing include short turns, visuals or timers, and clear expectations. Some kids usually around 4-5 begin to understand fairness and turn-taking but all kids (and let’s be honest adults!) need extra love and grace when tired, overstimulated, or hungry. So this holiday season our hope is to take some of the pressure off and just know that sharing is more complicated than we think and will develop as children grow!

Holiday Tips to Support Sharing at Home

• Try Turn Taking with a Timer: It can help create a sense of predictability and fairness to sharing.
• Honor Feelings Without Changing the Limit: It’s okay for children to feel sad, mad, or disappointed. You might say: “You’re sad it’s not your turn. That makes sense.” “Feelings are allowed. Hurting bodies or toys is not.”
• Model the Language You Want Them To Use: Model phrases like, “Can I have a turn when you’re done?” or “I’m not ready yet.” Children borrow our words!



-Claire Mueller OTR/L and Shar Creasey OTR/L

Community Partnerships

Ricky Roo & Friends Puppet Shows

We were thrilled to welcome Ricky Roo & Friends to Saint Vincent’s Day Home! Our community partner performed a lively and engaging puppet show for our children, sparking their imagination and filling the library with laughter and joy. The children loved watching the colorful puppets come to life and were excited to interact with the stories and characters. It was a memorable experience that brought smiles to every face and reminded us all of the magic of creativity and play.

Day Home Events