South Austin 'Operation Blue Santa' Volunteers Sought

AUSTIN, TX — Austin law enforcement officials are on the lookout for Christmas elves ahead of the holiday season. Volunteers are needed to help deliver packages to needy families and children as part of Austin Police Operation Blue Santa.

Would-be elves: You won't need to sign up ahead of time to partake in the goodwill. Delivery of gifts is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 16, starting at 8 a.m. Those wishing to volunteer need only arrive at the Austin Operation Blue Santa headquarters at 4101 South Industrial Drive, Suite 260, the morning and let Blue Santa personnel know how many deliveries they’d like to make.

Packages will be loaded into vehicles and delivery addresses will be provided. Like Santa himself who makes his rounds regardless of the climate, this event is scheduled to occur regardless of the weather according to officials. Police also need volunteers to deliver packages at the following secondary sites on the same day:

• Robert T. Martinez Sr. Central East Substation-812 Springdale Road, Austin, TX 78702.
• Jaime Padron North Substation-12425 Lamplight Village Ave., Austin, TX 78758.
• Clinton Hunter South Substation-404 Ralph Ablanedo Dr., Austin, TX 78748.

Those going to the substations are asked to proceed to the main Austin Police Operation Blue Santa warehouse after the secondary deliveries are completed as several thousand deliveries will occur at the main warehouse, officials said.

Austin Police Operation Blue Santa is a charitable outreach effort created in 1972 by two APD patrol officers who realized that some families in their area would not have gifts or food for their children at Christmas. The distribution began with 20 families from the back of a patrol car, and today serves more than 6,000 families with 14,400 children receiving gifts during the holiday season.

For more information, visit www.bluesanta.org.

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