For more than 50 years, Operation Joy has been a cornerstone of Northfield’s holiday season. Run through the Community Action Center (CAC), the annual program provides each child participating in Operation Joy with a Target gift card, a blanket, and a book from Content, a local bookstore. Last year alone, Operation Joy supported more than 1,000 kids across over 500 households — and this year, the demand is only growing.
Originally a community toy drive, Operation Joy shifted to distributing Target gift cards during the pandemic, a change that CAC Project Director Lisa Percy says improved the program. The new model ensures families can select gifts that are age-appropriate and truly needed.
“People love buying toys for little kids, but teenagers were often left out,” Percy said. “Gift cards let parents choose the right gifts for their children and let them be the gift-givers.”
Though the shift increased flexibility and equity, it reduced some of the hands-on community participation the toy drive once generated. To preserve those traditions, volunteers now make quilts and fleece blankets for every family, continuing a long-running creative contribution.
Books have also become a central part of the program thanks to a partnership with Content Bookstore, which has dramatically expanded access to new, high-quality children’s titles. Instead of relying on secondhand donations, Content now provides around 1,000 new books each year — either distributed at the event or selected in-store by children with a “golden ticket.”
Content employee and St. Olaf Student Government Association President Fiona Mundy ’26 said the selection process is her favorite part of the season. “Helping a kid find the right book — the one they’re excited about — is just so meaningful,” she said.
This year, rising need and lower donations present new challenges. Each child receives a $50 Target gift card, meaning the CAC must raise more than $50,000 to meet projected demand. With registration closing and numbers still increasing, this may be the first year the program relies on a waitlist.
Content Bookstore is also working to meet growing demand. Its annual Operation Joy fundraiser aims to raise $5,000 to purchase new books at cost for participating children. Donations can be made in-store, online, or by contributing Reader Rewards points.
Even after the official distribution day on Dec. 10, Percy emphasized that support does not stop: “We’re still helping families right up until Christmas. We always accept donations.”
Community members can donate directly to the CAC or give online through the Content’s Operation Joy page.
