Children who benefit from ECHO’s kindness party with Santa at sixth annual grant recipient dinner

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It’s a holiday tradition filled with the spirit of the season and brimming with plenty of dancing and musical entertainment, gift baskets and prizes awarded to children and families.

And the guest of honor? Who else but Santa himself who always steals the show as children eagerly await his arrival and the surprises that follow.

Each year at holiday time, the Emergency Children’s Help Organization (ECHO) hosts a festive Grant Recipient Dinner in Nicotra’s Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn for families who’ve benefited from the foundation.

As ECHO continues with its mission to provide financial assistance to children and families experiencing medical crises, children, parents and siblings gather each year to mix and mingle.

Sebastian Angelico, ECHO’s founder and chairman, noted the event is a time for families with children with special needs to gather and interact, while affording board members, children and families a time to get to know one another.

“I would like to thank everyone from the ECHO family for attending our sixth annual holiday celebration,” said Angelico. “It is a blessing to see all of the ECHO families enjoying the day filled with good food, good music and a visit from Santa Claus himself.”