Interested in year-round volunteer opportunities? Visit the Core Volunteer webpage or Email info@elflouise.org
OCTOBER – What a fun job! The thousands of toys the Elf Louise Christmas Project received for delivery to San Antonio’s children must be unboxed and stacked on shelves and pallets in age-appropriate locations in preparation for gift wrapping. Toy Stockers are the first to see the toys that will delight the thousands of children served.
Toy Stockers must be able to lift heavy boxes and use box cutters.
NOVEMBER – This is another very important step and job! Volunteers prepare the letters that are mailed to families, informing them when Santa will deliver their gifts. Processing also prepares the envelopes that contain the application, labels, and bag tags needed for the gift wrappers. These envelopes ensure that all children on the list receive gifts, so attention to detail is critical!
NOVEMBER – What a fun job! The thousands of toys the Elf Louise Christmas Project received for delivery to San Antonio’s children must be unboxed and stacked on shelves and pallets in age-appropriate locations in preparation for gift wrapping. Toy stockers are the first to see the toys that will delight the thousands of children served.
Toy Stockers must be able to lift heavy boxes and use box cutters.
DECEMBER – Gift wrapping is a huge but fun task. We wrap over 30,000 gifts. Two gifts are handpicked for each child, wrapped, and placed in a family Santa delivery bag.
Families and individuals are welcome at any time during the wrap schedule. Come on down and wrap for up to two hours—NO RESERVATION REQUIRED!
Groups of 5 to 25 – reserve gift-wrapping times through Sign-up Genius in August.
Groups of 26 or more – unfortunately, cannot be accommodated.
DECEMBER – The wrap room checker is another attention-to-detail position. Checkers pack and prep the Santa bags for the Santa delivery teams. This is the final gift check before the bags go to the delivery route, so attention to detail is important to ensure every child has a gift to open on Christmas.
DECEMBER –
Prefer verifiers must be at least 18 years old. This is a labor-intensive volunteer position that requires strict attention to detail, lifting heavy bags, and pushing heavy carts around the warehouse. You will want to dress appropriately and wear comfortable shoes.
DECEMBER – Help send Santa and the elves off to deliver toys! We need six volunteers each day of the Santa team delivery schedule to take the bags of gifts from the route boxes, place them in a cart, accompany Santa and the elves to the sleigh (vehicle), help them load all the goodies, and be on their way!
DECEMBER – Over 400 Santa Teams volunteer to deliver toys throughout San Antonio and the Bexar County Community each year. It takes a bit more commitment (and a vehicle), but it is tremendous fun! Each Santa team delivery consists of 3 adults (minimum): 1 Santa Claus (we have a complete costume for most sizes), 1 driver, and 1 Santa assistant (since they can’t see well while wearing the wig and beard.) We only dress Santa; everyone else provides their own costume, or the annual Elf Louise t-shirts are available. If you have a large group, you can request two or three Santa teams, and we’ll put you in the same geographical area or give you an apartment complex.
Delivering toys takes about 2-3 hours, depending on the side of town you deliver. Playing “Santa” makes for a lot of fun with family and friends. As a bonus, you share the joy and spirit of Christmas with many underserved children.
DECEMBER – It’s not over when it’s over! The Elf Louise Christmas project does not end when the last Santa delivery bag is picked up in late December! After Christmas, many willing hands are needed to break down and clean up the workshop. The remaining toys and supplies must be sorted out, counted, and crated in preparation for return to the Elf Louise warehouse and storage. Usually occurs Dec. 27-Dec. 30.
Thank you, volunteers, for your generous donation of time and talent!