Charitable Santa Train getting on track

The Forgotten Child Fund will begin taking applications Monday for free toys for Hamilton County's low-income children.

And with the economy in the doldrums, organizers expect applications for aid will be just as high -- and very likely higher -- than previous years.

"Last year was the biggest year we've had in 44 years of service," said Hamilton County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Bobby Starnes, the president of the Forgotten Child Fund. "We've doubled our giving in 10 years, and the community has come through for us every year."

On Oct. 1, the fund received its first shipment of toys from a commercial toy maker, Sgt. Starnes said, and donations are needed to pay for those purchases.

Those gifts, purchased in bulk, were delivered in a tractor-trailer, said Amy Maxwell, spokeswoman for the Hamilton County Emergency Services Agency.

On Christmas Eve, volunteers deliver toys to some of the county's poorest families aboard the Santa Train, a long caravan of emergency vehicles with lights shining and sirens blazing.

In all, the fund gave 4,606 children Christmas presents in 2008. About a dozen are selected each year for the Santa Train deliveries, which this year are set for Dec. 24.

The fund is supported by firefighters, sheriff's deputies, city police officers, emergency medical service workers and other rescue squads, as well as community donors.

"We couldn't do this without the community's help," Sgt. Starnes said. "We are regularly surprised by the generosity of this community. It only takes $30 to give a child Christmas because we buy our toys in bulk at a significant discount."

Now, the fund is searching both for truly needy families to give the presents to and for generous local residents to help supplement the effort in dollars and donations of new, unwrapped toys.

"We have plenty of people that need our help," said Sgt. Starnes, who doubles as Santa Claus when the Santa Train delivers to children.

Despite the overwhelming need, the fund is selective about who gets toys. Officials require Social Security numbers of the guardians and the children receiving the aid. Applications are accepted in person only, and the families cannot be receiving aid from any other charity, Sgt. Starnes said.

"Quite honestly, we've caught families in the past trying to double dip," he said. "So we run the families through a clearinghouse to make sure we are the only ones giving assistance."

Donors should feel positive about that, he said, because it means their dollars and gifts go to families who really need the help.

NEED HELP?

The Forgotten Child Fund Toy Store will begin taking applications next week:

* When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 2-Dec. 11

* Where: Forgotten Child Fund headquarters, 906 Forrest Ave., Chattanooga

* Phone calls and applications by phone are not accepted.

HOW TO HELP

Monetary donations and new, unwrapped toys can be donated.

Where: 3410 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37406

All donations, regardless of size, are accepted.