Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is known for helping distribute Christmas gifts and food during the holidays.

Just visit their main webpage and search for you nearest office. They have contact info where you could email or call and ask what assistance is available for your area. Contact them as soon as you can to ensure a better chance of help.

Christmas toys and food baskets: San Bernardino, California

Christmas Assistance Programs in San Berardino and surrounding areas.

Our Lady Of Hope 6885 Del Rosa Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92404 909-884-6375 Administration 909-884-8976 FAX
Christmas Baskets
Distributes Christmas baskets to families with Low-income
Area served: All Areas

Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy
349 North E Street San Bernardino CA 92401 909-864-4650
Toy Giveaway Previously had a one day toy give away in 2007. Required pre-registration, call for more information
Area Served: City of San Bernardino Only

Chino Neighborhood House
13130 6th Street Chino, CA 91708 909-628-5608
Christmas Toys & Baskets
Program distributes toys and Christmas baskets to low-income families on Dec. 25th from 9 am to 1 pm
Areas served: Chino Only


Catholic Charities of San Bernardino/Riverside
1800 Western Ave. Suite 107 San Bernardino CA 92411 909-880-3625 Service/Intake 909-880-9847 FAX
Christmas Toys Distributes Toys to low income or homeless families.
Areas Served: All Areas
Eligibility: Must bring Identification, Proof of address, Proof of income, Social security cards for every household
member

Aletheian Christian Foundation 12801 Oaks Ave.Chino, CA 91710 909-627-3635 Service/Intake and administration
909-590-1285
Christmas Food Baskets provides groceries (baskets) for a holiday meal to eligible individuals. Must register in
advance. Areas Served: All Areas


Community Action Partnership
696 South Tippecanoe Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92408 909-723-1500 Administration 800-635-4618 Toll-Free
909-723-1560 Service
Christmas Celebration Annual Christmas party for approximately 600 homeless and low-income children
Services Provided: Presents, Food, entertainment and a visit from Santa
Areas Served: San Bernardino County Residents


Santa Claus, Inc. 1330 East D Street P.O. Box 362 Ontario, CA 91762 909-984-6627
Provides toys and clothing for Chaffey School District children. Area Served: Chaffey School District Only

Mary’s Mercy Center Mailing: P.O. Box 7563 San Bernardino, California 92411 909-889-2558 909-386-7704 FAX
Annual Christmas Eve Party
Always Held on December 24th. Program gives over a 1,000 children a picture with Santa, a new wrapped gift and a
bag of candy and the opportunity to participate in a drawing for larger gifts. Each adult receives a wrapped shoe
box filled with toiletries, etc. Areas Served: All Areas


Thanksgiving Salvation Army – Ontario 1412 South Euclid Ave. Ontario, CA 91762 909-986-6748 Service/Intake and
Administration 909-986-9979 FAX
Provides a hot Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving day (10:30-2:00) in a congregate setting for low-income families.
Call for details or program changes. Areas Served: All Areas


Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy
1614 North D Street San Bernardino, CA 909-881-3382 Administration 909-881-3385 FAX
Thanksgiving Meal Provides low-moderate-income families with a meal at Thanksgiving time. Applications must be
received in advance, late application will not be accepted. Areas Served: All Areas


Our Lady Of Hope 6885 Del Rosa Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92404 909-884-6375 Administration 909-884-8976 FAX
Thanksgiving Baskets Provides Thanksgiving baskets for low-income families. Areas Served: All Areas


Aletheian Christian Foundation 12801 Oaks Ave. Chino, CA 91710 909-627-3635 Service/Intake and Administration
909-590-1285
Thanksgiving Baskets Program distributes boxes of food for a holiday meal including a ham or a turkey to low income
families who register in advance to pick one up. Registration begins November 1st until the baskets run out.
Eligibility: must provide Proof of income, Proof of residency, Picture ID, Areas Served: All Areas

Christmas Holiday Baskets: Wisconsin

Last year, the Holiday Basket Project gave 1,233 low-income families in the area some much-needed season's greetings.

"The whole idea is to just provide a nice Christmas for struggling families, and this year we're thinking there may be more, because of the economic situation," a coordinator Karen Aldinger said.
The 2008 Holiday Basket Project provides a holiday meal and gifts at Christmas to low-income and working-poor families. A nonprofit program of Operation Bootstrap, it accepts applications from local families in need and matches each with a sponsor.

People can sponsor a family with a food basket containing items for a holiday meal or a gift certificate from a local grocery store, plus gifts for the children.
It will cost about $75 to fill a basket for a family of four.

There are about 25 food items suggested to put in the basket, such as a 10-pound turkey, stuffing mix, two cans of pie filling and 12 eggs. It also suggests additional items that can't be purchased with food stamps, such as toilet paper, toothpaste and shampoo. Stocking stuffers, such as washable markers, storybooks, mittens and puzzles, also can be included.
Sponsors will deliver the baskets from Dec. 16 to 23.

"It's a wonderful way for the community to get involved in providing a special Christmas for those that aren't well off and less fortunate," Aldinger said. "It makes (sponsors') Christmas special when they can make someone else's Christmas better."

St. Paul Lutheran Church in Stevens Point has been making 75 holiday baskets a year for almost 30 years, said Bonnie Lund, project coordinator at the church.
She sends a letter to the congregation every year, and this year she requested $12,000 in donations for supplies. The church also has a mitten tree, where people can donate mittens and other gifts. Everything goes toward the baskets.
Several youths from the congregation do the shopping

for the baskets.
"What I'm most proud of is that we have so many young people involved," Lund said. "It's ... the wonderful commitment that our church has in reaching out to the community."

To get involved or for more information, call Holiday Basket Project at
344-9950.

Christmas Food Baskets: Illinois

Requests from low-income residents for a holiday food basket are being accepted by the East Peoria Youth Council.

Request form to send in by Dec, 3rd.

The Youth Council is now in its 27th year of conducting its Christmas Food Basket Program. Approximately 300 baskets were distributed in 2007.

Those eligible for a food basket are low-income families. All recipients must reside in the corporate city limit of East Peoria or in the boundaries of East Peoria Community High School District 309. To keep the program fair, Youth Council members check to make sure those rquesting baskets are from East Peoria or Creve Coeur, and that they are not receiving a basket from other area groups.The baskets contain a gift certificate for meat, canned corn and green beans, pork and beans, macaroni and cheese, brownie mix, gelatin, applesauce, spaghetti and sauce, a loaf of bread, apples, potatoes and other vegetables, soup, peanut butter and corn bread mix.

The request deadline is Dec. 3, and requests must be made on the downloadable form at the top of this page. Forms are also available at EastSide Centre, 1 EastSide Drive, and East Peoria City Hall, 100 S. Main St. Recipients will be notified by mail about basket distribution, set for Dec. 19.
For more information, contact Paula Smart at East Peoria City Hall, 698-4715.

Christmas Offering Program:illinois

The Goal of our annual Christmas Offering is to provide 3 to 4 weeks of nutritious food and Christmas presents to those living under severe poverty conditions in DuPage & Kane County. Full details on their main page.

The Christmas Store, Free Gifts: Oklahoma

The Christmas Store of Cleveland County is a community project involving hundreds of people who donate their energies and resources to help low-income families help themselves to a better Christmas.

Just before Christmas a store is set up with donated time, money and merchandise. Here, low-income families can shop for food, toys, clothing and other gifts. They choose what their family wants and needs, not what someone else thinks they should have.They can buy the gifts and food with a fixed quota determined by family size. The individuals pay for these gifts by donating their time setting up the Christmas Store.This allows families to plan their own Christmas and to maintain the self-respect of knowing that they contributed toward their Christmas. Without the Christmas Store of Cleveland County, these families would not have food, toys or clothing for Christmas.

Free Christmas toys: Houston, Texas

I found this post on Craislist for free toys for the Houston area.

http://houston.craigslist.org/zip/932535910.html

CALL US AT 1-866-213-3134 FOR CHRISTMAS ASSISTANCE FOR THE HOUSTON AREA

Toys for Tots

TOYS FOR TOTS


MISSION: The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

GOAL:The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

Request Toys

Angel Tree, toys for children

At Christmastime, volunteers from your church purchase and deliver gifts to the children of inmates in their parent’s name. Each gift delivery also presents an opportunity to share the love and hope of Christ with each family. Through Angel Tree, these children feel a parent’s love, despite their absence.