With Thanksgiving already behind us and Christmas just three weeks away, the 11th annual Christmas at Home food and toy drive is well underway, and actually in the stages of beginning to wind up”quickly as deadlines for food and toys to be collected and delivered before Christmas Day looms.

Once again, several businesses, churches, and individual volunteers are collecting food and toys to be distributed to those who may be in need of some extra help this 2014 holiday season.

Although no goals are set from year-to-year for the Christmas at Home event, each year sponsors and the community hope to see even more people benefit from the program than the year before. Last year in 2013, despite an early but slow start, turned out to be a record-setting year since the program was first launched in 2003.

Last year, the program helped supply food and toys to some 246 homes, and just as importantly, reaching out to some 545 children–both new records.

Since it’s start-up, the program has always reached a little over 200 homes per year.

Since it’s beginning a decade ago, the event has always been a success thanks to the generosity of businesses, sponsors, churches, organizations, and of course, individuals donating to make the holidays a little better for local and area residents in need of some help around the Christmas season.

Volunteers have already been working for weeks now, especially at Albany City Hall where the items collected are separated and boxed before delivery by city employees who donate their time tirelessly each year on the project.

The annual event is sponsored each year by WANY 100.9 FM; Clinton County News; Albany Mayor Nicky Smith and Albany City Council; Clinton Fiscal Court and the Chamber of Commerce.

Event organizer Pam Allred said this year, it appears that although toys for all age groups and both sexes are needed, there is an increased need for food items. As in the past, all churches that participate are primarily asked to collect non-perishable food items to help supply the demand in that area.

Persons in need, or know of children and/or families in need of help can have names put on a “Wish List” by calling WANY at 387-5186 or Albany City Hall at 387-6011. The information must include the sex and ages of all children in the home, the total number of people in the home and a physical address of where the deliveries are to be made.

Allred also announced some deadlines for both the church food collections and participating merchant toy and food collections, as well as those drop-off points.

All churches should collect food (and new toys won’t be turned down either) and delivered to city hall or WANY Radio Station by Monday, December 15. If necessary, arrangements can be made for churches to have their donated items picked up.

The deadline to drop-off toys or food is Monday, December 15, if at all possible. Drop-off boxes are set up at the following locations: Albany City Hall; City Florist; Dollar General Market; Family Dollar; Fred’s Super Dollar; Save-A-Lot; Dollar Giant; McWhorter’s Variety Store; or WANY radio station.

Items that are in most need of at this point in the drive are non-perishable food, so event organizers are urging any churches that wish to take part to begin collecting prior to the mid-December deadline

Deliveries to homes will begin being made by city employees sometime around December 18 or 19 and hopefully be delivered before Christmas Day.

To volunteer to help in any way, or for more information on the Christmas at Home program, contact city hall at 387-6011.