Last Updated on December 29, 2025 by Kari-Ann Ryan
For more than 25 years, Mid West Moving & Storage has supported a holiday gift program serving children and families through New Trier High School and Northwestern Settlement. What began as a simple request to help has grown into a long standing tradition rooted in reliability, coordination, and care.
Each holiday season, our Chicago-based moving team donates time, equipment, and transportation to help ensure hundreds of gifts reach families who need them most. These services are provided entirely at no cost, as part of our commitment to giving back to the communities we serve.
A Long-Standing Community Partnership
The program itself has evolved over the years, but its purpose has remained the same. New Trier High School organizes the collection of wrapped holiday gifts for children in need, while Mid-West Moving & Storage handles the logistics required to move those gifts safely and efficiently.
Our role is simple and reliable: provide the boxes, the truck, and the experienced team to support the effort from start to finish.
How the Holiday Gift Program Works
The process begins well before the holiday season and requires careful coordination between our team, New Trier High School, and Northwestern Settlement.
- Approximately six weeks before Christmas, we deliver hundreds of moving boxes to New Trier High School for gift collection.
- About two weeks before pickup, a full tractor trailer is delivered to the school’s campus.
- Once loaded with boxed gifts, our team transports the trailer to Northwestern Settlement, where the gifts are unloaded and prepared for distribution.
What Was the 2025 Schedule
For the 2025 holiday season, the program followed this timeline:
- Box delivery: November 17
- Trailer delivery to New Trier High School: December 9
- Trailer pickup and delivery to Northwestern Settlement: December 11
- While the transportation itself happens over a few days, the coordination behind the scenes takes weeks. Our operations and customer care teams work closely with school and settlement staff to ensure every detail is handled properly.
More Than a Move — A Meaningful Tradition
This effort has always been about more than moving boxes. One of our drivers volunteers each year to dress as Santa and join the delivery. This year, Santa waved to students gathered at the school windows, creating a moment that reflected the spirit of the program.
As Yasmin Rodriguez shared:
“What you all do to support this project is amazing, and Santa is always such a wonderful and kind guy. Love having him back again this year. He was able to wave hello to the kids who ran up to the windows at the school. It was so cute.”
This Year’s Contribution
This holiday season, Mid-West Moving & Storage donated:
- 380 moving boxes
- A full tractor trailer
- Several hours of employee time
- Professional loading and transportation services
Proud to Deliver Goodwill Year After Year
At Mid West Moving & Storage, we believe in building long term relationships, not only with our customers but with the communities we serve. This holiday partnership reflects our values and our commitment to making a positive local impact.
As we look ahead, we are proud to continue delivering goodwill, supporting community organizations, and helping programs like this grow and thrive for generations to come.
Moving Services Backed by Experience and Care
In addition to our community efforts, Mid West Moving & Storage provides professional local moving, long distance moving, commercial relocation, and secure storage services throughout the Chicago area and beyond.
Whether you are relocating a home, an office, or an entire facility, our team brings decades of experience, careful planning, and dependable service to every move.
If you are planning an upcoming move and want to work with a company that values professionalism, reliability, and community involvement, contact Mid West Moving & Storage today to request a quote or speak with our team.
Director of Marketing & Development
Kari-Ann Ryan is a dynamic marketing strategist with a proven track record in brand development, corporate visibility, and business growth. As the Director of Marketing & Development for Mid-West Moving & Storage and Chicago Office Movers, she leads all branding, marketing, and business development initiatives, driving awareness and engagement across multiple industries.
With extensive experience in multi-brand marketing, nonprofit fundraising, event planning, and retail management, Kari-Ann brings a comprehensive and results-driven approach to her role. She is a dedicated leader in the business community, actively involved in the Schaumburg Business Association and the GOA Regional Business Association. She also serves as a Board Member for the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter, reinforcing her commitment to advocacy and philanthropy.
In addition to her corporate role, Kari-Ann is the founder of LMJ’s Lost Souls – Alzheimer’s Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to awareness, education, and fundraising for Alzheimer’s research and support.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Western Michigan University and is Certified in Constant Contact Email Marketing, with expertise in social media strategy and digital engagement.
