Economic woes increase need for Santa’s Elves

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

The Smyth County Santa’s Elves program is mid-way through its third week of accepting referrals of children whose families’ financial hardships mean Christmas morning holds little hope of presents to open.
That’s the goal of the Smyth County Department of Social Services’ Santa’s Elves program—helping disadvantaged children have a Christmas like their friends, with at least one gift to open.
Barbara Weaver, who served as coordinator for Santa’s Elves for 19 years, often said “every child should have a gift to open for Christmas.” That was her mantra and now, as Mary Beth Sheets and Heather Trivette take over as coordinators in the wake of Weaver’s rise to the assistant directorship of DSS, the mission remains the same.
The need, however and unsurprisingly, for Santa’s Elves’ help is greater this year.
Weaver said that on Oct. 27, the first day of the current Santa’s Elves program, 129 children were referred, sharply up from the 87 on the first day last year.
The program is designed to provide a gift for children whose families’ incomes won’t allow Christmas spending. To ensure reaching the greatest number of children, the Santa’s Elves program and its participants follow a few rules.
The program follows eligibility guidelines that set an income cap under which families may be eligible. However, that’s not necessarily the last word in the matter. Families’ circumstances are also considered. Weaver offers the example of a family that exceeds the income limit but is faced with serious illness and for that reason could be eligible for sponsorship. Conversely, an income-eligible family with extended family that can help at Christmas will not be accepted for the program.
The child is the focus, and the program is not intended to provide gifts for grandparents to give grandchildren, nor is it intended to provide extra gifts. “The program is concerned with seeing that a child is not left out and receives something for Christmas,” Weaver said previously.
Referrals require completion of an application. Volunteers make random home visits to further determine eligibility. Then Santa’s Elves rely on the community to help in two ways – family sponsorship or donations to Santa’s Elves.
Sponsors act as Santa. Matched with a family (considering any requests by the sponsor) and given the child’s wish list, clothing sizes and toy request, sponsors add the children to the recipients on their Christmas shopping lists.
Sponsors wrap and deliver the gifts in coordination with the children’s parents, unless other arrangements are made through Santa’s Elves. Sponsored are urged to make their deliveries as close to Christmas as possible, but with cooperation of the parents.
Santa’s Elves does not specify a gift value, but recommends a value of $50, the usual value of the gift certificates Santa’s Elves provides families that have not been sponsored but assisted in the second way, through contributions to the program itself.
The donations are tax-deductible and all of the money goes to eligible children with no administrative costs taken out. The money is presented as gift certificates that families can redeem at local participating merchants for food, clothing or toys. Merchants bill Santa’s Elves for the purchase price, but do not provide families change if the full value of the certificate is not redeemed.
The value of certificates depends on the amount of donations and the number of eligible children referred. Children ages birth through 15 are assisted, and if the number of sponsors and donations allow, ages 15-17 will be assisted.
Sponsors and contributors can be individuals and groups.
Those donating goods, which must be new or in excellent condition, are asked to contact Santa’s Elves to coordinate this kind of giving.
A third way to help is available. Become an elf and help the organization take referrals, check eligibility, answer the phone, and brighten a lot of Christmases.

Last year Santa’s Elves:
● Helped 969 children
● Made and delivered to the elderly 830 fruit baskets
● Had the help of 140 sponsors
● Received $30,242.54 in cash donations

This year you can:
● Sponsor children
● Contribute cash
● Contribute goods
● Become an elf – 3 to 5 are needed and elves’ schedules are flexible

Important numbers:
● Call Santa’s Elves at 783-8148, extension 223
● Visit in the Department of Social Services, on the
  4th floor of the county office building at 121 Bagley Circle, Marion.
● Hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays.

Make checks payable to:
Santa’s Elves
121 Bagley Circle, Suite 200
Marion VA 24354