East Brunswick Santa Letters Prompt Make-A-Wish Donations From Macy’s

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Santa isn’t the only one granting wishes this season.

Until Christmas Eve, Macy’s stores across the country will donate $2 to Make-A-Wish - up to $2 million - for each letter to Santa dropped off in a store location, company officials said in a news release.

The letter drop-off campaign will be Macy’s last after a 20-year partnership with the wish-granting charity for children fighting critical illnesses, the release said. It wasn't immediately clear why the partnership was ending.

On Dec. 16, a special delivery of over 311,000 letters took place at Brunswick Square, inspired by two local Make-A-Wish families. In fact, since 2014, Make-A-Wish recipient Anthony “AJ” Silvestri has collected more than 500,000 letters for Macy’s letter writing campaign prior to this year, company representatives said.

Now, for the third year in a row, Jillian Bresocnik, a sixth grader from Jonas Salk Middle School and a Make-A-Wish New Jersey sibling, has led the community initiative alongside AJ.

Make-A-Wish granted AJ’s wish ten years ago, company officials said. AJ, who has Cystic Fibrosis, was able to meet the cast of the History Channel show “Pawn Stars" one week after Superstorm Sandy, when he and his family watched the cast film a segment with AJ’s favorite personality, Chum Lee.

Throughout the years and before her sister Kendall’s diagnosis, Jillian was among AJ’s biggest supporters. The Bresocnik family has since written and collected thousands of letters over the past several years.

Kendall was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer at age seven, according to the news release. During her brief but fierce battle with the disease, Kendall’s wish for a swimming pool in her parent’s backyard was granted by Make-A-Wish New Jersey.

“Those who knew Kendall remember the perpetual smile on her face, along with her love for rainbows and unicorns,” the release reads. “AJ, Jillian and all their supporters once again honor the memory of Kendall this year by naming their holiday letter-writing effort ‘Believe in Unicorns.’”

“The longstanding partnership between Macy’s and Make-A-Wish has spanned 20 years,
raising more than $142 million and helping grant more than 16,200 wishes,” said Sam Di
Scipio, Macy’s Senior Director, Corporate Communications – Social Impact. “We are
extremely proud of the great work Macy’s and Make-A-Wish have accomplished
together.”

Santa postcards to print at home and drop off at Macy’s stores are available on
macys.com/makeawish.