The annual Christmas at Home food and toy drive, being coordinated by the City of Albany and employees at city hall, is officially underway for its 16th season, according to Albany City Clerk/Treasurer Melissa Smith.

The official start of the annual drive to help those in need around the holidays was announced at a recent city council meeting earlier this month.

For the past two years now, the always successful charitable event has gotten off to a later than usual start, but individuals, churches, organizations and businesses still have plenty of time to donate food and toys to families in need around the Christmas holiday season.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, churches, groups, organizations and especially individuals, the program two years ago–in 2017–set new records in food and toy collections for children, families and elderly adults.

After the record setting year in 2017, the numbers dropped somewhat last year (2018), but was still deemed a success across the county.

Last year, 235 households, including those with one or more children in a home, were served, aiding a total of 445 children, and another 61 boxes of food was delivered to the elderly last year.

In 2017, 300 homes and 545 children were aided through the annual program with a total of 29 entities taking part.

Collection boxes for food and toys will be set up at various locations in the Albany area and local churches are urged to especially collect non-perishable food items that are dated good for use through the holiday season.

Monetary donations will also be accepted to help purchase toys and food in conjunction with serving individuals and families that are added to the list of people who need assistance.

At least a dozen churches in the county took part in collecting food boxes last year.

There will be some subtle differences in the way the program works this year, as persons and families who receive food and toy boxes are asked to pick up their own boxes at city hall, due to the lack of time city employees have to make deliveries to all homes.

It is important, Smith noted, that when turning in the name of a person or household that need assistance to add a correct name, physical address and working phone number.

However, food and toy boxes will be delivered to the elderly and/or families who have no way of picking them up.

Names of families and children are chosen in part with the help of local social services and local residents who know of families and children in need. Anyone wishing to have names added to the “Wish List” for food and toys should contact Smith at Albany City Hall at 387-6011.

The collection date cut-off this year is Wednesday, December 4 for anyone making donations, or for churches to drop off food collections.

Pick-up and/or deliveries to homes should be completed by Wednesday, December 18.

Drop-off locations for donations to the program usually include city hall, the Clinton County News, Clinton County Judge/Executive’s office, Save-A-Lot, and other stores in the area that may be taking part in the program.

During the upcoming Thanksgiving season would be a good time for shoppers to add a small extra gift of food or a toy to help make a family, elderly person or child’s Christmas a little more merrier this year.

The 16th annual Christmas at Home food and toy drive is being sponsored this year by the City of Albany, Clinton County Fiscal Court, Albany/Clinton County Chamber of Commerce and the Clinton County News.

Anyone who would like to volunteer to help box food or help in any other way may contact city hall. Also, food deliveries to the elderly who cannot pick up boxes themselves will be made, as always, by city employees.

All of the aforementioned sponsors would like to thank everyone in advance for their support, past and present and look forward to another great year of helping families and children less fortunate around the Christmas season.