BCCA helps to make the season bright for children of backstretch workers and their families
The Belmont Child Care Association, Inc. (BCCA) is bringing the magic of the holiday season to life once again with our much-loved Annual Holiday Shopping Day on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Anna House, BCCA’s child care center located at Belmont Park.
Each year, more than 500 children from New York’s Thoroughbred backstretch racing community experience a day filled with wonder and joy as they “shop” for gifts for their loved ones with the help of their very own elf. Every item is brand new, and no money is exchanged. The event is entirely free for families, made possible through the kindness of our donors, sponsors, and volunteers.
Anna House is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with our cozy Sugar Plum Café, a bustling Holiday Shop brimming with festive gifts, and a special visit from Santa himself. More than 100 volunteers and community members come together, dressed in cheerful holiday colors and festive costumes, spreading joy and warmth as they help to create a magical atmosphere.
Among our volunteers this year is Jazmin, BCCA’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year, an eighth grader and proud graduate of our early childhood education and development and our school-age enrichment programs at Anna House.
“When I was a little girl, the elves made Christmas magical for me,” said Jazmin. “Now I get to help to make that magic for someone else, and that’s what this day is all about.”
BCCA’s Annual Holiday Shopping Day is a day where memories are made and families experience the joys of the season. What begins with a gift during the holidays continues year-round through our early childhood education and development and school-age enrichment programs at Anna House and Faith’s House, where every child is encouraged to reach for the stars: dream BIG, sparkle more, and shine bright as they learn and grow.
This year, we need you!
You can help to make this day memorable by donating at www.belmontchildcare.org/donate or through BCCA’s Amazon Wishlist at https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2FGL779IYTJMD where you can participate directly in the magic by selecting and purchasing gifts from our wish list. Every contribution helps to ensure that each child experiences the joy of giving and the warmth of the holiday season.
The spirit of the holidays continues beyond our Annual Holiday Shopping Day with Cookies with Santa. Each year, our children arrive at Anna House in their pajamas for story time, cookies, and a special visit from Santa. Each child receives a gift from their personal wish list, creating a moment of joy they’ll remember all year long. Every smile tells a story of hope, generosity, and love. Each gift given and received during this special time is a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the greatest difference.
About Belmont Child Care Association, Inc. (BCCA)
The mission of the Belmont Child Care Association, Inc. (BCCA) is to provide a safe, supportive, and academically inspiring environment for the children of parents working in the Thoroughbred racing backstretch area located at New York’s historic Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Saratoga Race Course. We are committed to promoting early childhood education, molding young minds, and encouraging the fulfillment of dreams.
BCCA Educates to Elevate through our programs at Anna House and Faith’s House, we offer a year-round early childhood education and development program, and an after-school tutoring and enrichment, and tutoring and enrichment program, to help children thrive while their parents care for the horses as the backbone of the Thoroughbred racing industry. Anna House opens its doors at 5 a.m. every day of the year to serve children as young as six weeks old through age five and provides enrichment and activities for children ages 6 through 12, creating the foundation for a successful future for families dedicated to the sport. Faith’s House opens its doors for the summer race meet at Saratoga Race Course.
BCCA is now proud to provide college scholarships for our earliest graduates. As our students Dream Big, and after over 20 years of operation, BCCA can now track the long-term effects of providing our students with the foundation for educational success from an early age. To ensure our students remain supported, and encouraged in their pursuit of higher education, we established the BCCA College Scholarship in 2023.
Change the first five years of a child’s life and you change everything!
Learn more at www.belmontchildcare.org.