Local charity started by moms overwhelmed by need; hopes you’ll be an “elf”

DENVER – The Christmas list of impoverished kids hoping to get presents this holiday is longer than it’s ever been before. It’s three times longer than last year. In 2012, Santa’s Elves: Kids Giving to Kids gave presents to 320 children living in Colorado’s poorest neighborhood. This year, the charity faces helping 1,000.

“We’ve never seen anything like this. We’re inundated with parents around Denver asking for help to get their children Christmas presents this year, “ Stella Castro, one of the moms who founded Santa’s Elves, said. “It’s tempting to say, ‘We can’t help all of you.’ But we’ve decided to go for broke. We’re going to make sure every child who needs one has a gift to open this holiday.”

Because of the demand, the non-profit hopes you and your kids this year will donate or become “elves.”

To be an elf, parents help their children choose, buy and wrap gifts for underprivileged children in Colorado. Unlike most other charities, Santa’s Elves: Kids Giving to Kids, allows your child to be involved and attend a special party in December when they’ll give a gift face-to-face to another child. It’s a chance to learn, make new friends and create a wonderful experience they’ll talk about the rest of the year.

Can you be an elf this year? Please go to our website. This Christmas, give your child an experience.

ABOUT SANTA’S ELVES: KIDS GIVING TO KIDS

  • Santa’s Elves works closely with Rude Recreation Center Director James Salinas and Phu Do, Lead Service Coordinator of the Denver Housing Authority, to identify the most underprivileged children in Denver. Those kids often slip through the cracks and are left out of other charitable organizations’ Christmas programs.
  • Majority of the children receiving the gifts live in Colorado’s poorest neighborhood, Sun Valley. Residents here report median annual incomes of $8,000.
  • Santa’s Elves is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charity created by three moms in 2010 who wanted to teach their children about giving back early in life.
  • The mission is to inspire life-long giving for all ages; especially children
  • When asked, most children in Sun Valley wanted shoes.For more go to SantasElvesDenver.org or email us at northpole@santaselvesdenver.org