Not many people require four business cards to fully introduce themselves. But Joseph A. Milano does.
There’s Joseph A. Milano, president of Boston’s Union Oyster House, the country’s oldest continuously operated restaurant, established in 1826.
There’s Joseph A. Milano, the honorary consul general of Thailand.
Then there’s Brigadier General Joseph A. Milano, a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co. of Massachusetts, who served as its captain commanding in 1989-1990.
And in addition there’s Joseph A. Milano who served as civilian aide to the commonwealth’s secretary of the Army for Massachusetts from 1997 to 2004. And he presently serves as chief military aide-de-camp to the governor, having served for six past governors.
Milano could carry more cards, if he chose. Not to be overlooked is how in 1995 he was awarded the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant by his majesty, the king of Thailand.
But an initiative that’s particularly close to his heart is Globe Santa. He and his philanthropic family, together with their restaurant, have been donors since 1970, the year he and his father Joseph Sr. became minority partners of the Union Oyster House.
It was his father’s idea to start donating.
“He very much wanted to because he was a recipient of Post Santa when he was a child,” Milano said. (The Boston Post newspaper stopped publishing in 1956 and the Globe took over the tradition.) Born in 1915, Milano Sr. was the son of a truck driver in South Medford.
“They couldn’t afford to buy gifts,” Milano, 79, said. His father — Milano Sr. — told him this for the first time in 1970. “And he never spoke of it again.”
To continue the tradition and honor his father, the Milano family and the Union Oyster House have contributed to Globe Santa for 53 years, without interruption, even during the lean COVID pandemic years. This year’s donation came in at $5,000, bringing their total contribution over half a century to $271,000.
“It’s a matter of giving back,” he said. “Of continuing on.”
The Globe Santa team is deeply grateful to this family and their employees, and to many, many others for their generosity.
This has been a remarkable year for the Globe Santa program. A marathon delivery sprint over the weekend by the Postal Service has resulted in every single one of the Globe Santa packages being delivered by Christmas Day. This means 16,698 families with a total of 28,457 children have received gifts of toys, books, and games.
Among those who helped make that happen this year:
-- Advanced Data Risk Management (ADRM) in Woburn, where employees collected warm winter hats and gloves “to support children in need this holiday season” said Miranda Gaines who believes in the magic of Christmas. CEO Dan O’Neill added a $500 donation in honor of his mother, Dorothy O’Neill, who died in July from Alzheimer’s disease.
“She loved the Globe and clipped the Lotto results for her 82-year-old boyfriend every day,” he said. “We are pleased to make this donation to Globe Santa in her memory and we hope the kids find warmth from the hats and gloves generously donated by [our] employees.”
-- Ace Ticket, a leading supplier of tickets for sports, concerts, and theater events in Boston. Founder and CEO Jim Holzman is donating $2 for every ticket sold in December. Last year he donated $10,086.
-- Laura Dees, who grew up in Lowell, for her heartwarming essay on how Globe Santa brightened her childhood.
-- Globe reader Mark Luckman of Brookline was moved enough by Globe Santa stories that he bought two bikes — a girl’s and a boy’s — and donated them to a local social service agency, which found the right children for them.
-- The AGA Boston Chapter hosted its annual holiday luncheon at Maggiano’s Little Italy in Boston on Dec. 6 and raised $750 “to support Globe Santa and their holiday gift giving efforts,” according to Shana Doiron, who led the effort. AGA is an association of regional financial professionals who support government organizations.
-- Jimmy Tingle, the comedian and political satirist, will donate $10 to Globe Santa for every ticket sold to his three “Humor and Hope for the Holidays” on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
We are also deeply grateful to all the children who sent beautiful artwork to Globe Santa, which now grace the walls of Globe Santa’s office.
For 68 years Globe Santa, a program of the Boston Globe Foundation, has provided gifts to children in need at holiday time. Please consider giving by phone, mail, or online at globesanta.org.
Linda Matchan can be reached at linda.matchan@globe.com