We are an all volunteer, non-profit organization bringing comfort and joy to Santee residents by providing food and gifts during the holiday season.
About Santee Santas Foundation
The Santee Santas Foundation is a local non-profit 501(c)(3) registered organization, providing help to members of our community living within the Santee School District and in need of assistance.
Santee Santas’ signature effort is an annual holiday children’s toy and food (and grocery store gift card) drive focused on bringing the Christmas spirit to 300-400 families in our community. Our senior outreach program ensures seniors in our community who are living alone or in senior care facilities are not forgotten over the holidays. Our volunteers serve the Santee community throughout the year, and have done so for the past sixty-eight years!
Our programs
Food and Toy Drives
The signature effort of the Santee Santas Foundation is an Annual Holiday Food and Children’s Toy Distribution.
Each year the “Food Drive” begins with the Santee local elementary participating in a drive to collect gift cards from local grocery stores. To collect toys and purchase additional pantry food, Santee Santas depends upon the generous support of local businesses, community members, and volunteers. Food is placed in boxes with content dependent on family size and toys are sorted and wrapped for recipient children from 0-11. Children 12-18 receive a gift card to purchase a special gift of their choosing.
All of these items are then sorted and packaged in preparation for delivery to hundreds of Santee families just in time to spread Christmas cheer to some of those most in need of it.
Senior Outreach
The Santee Santas Foundation Senior Outreach focuses on senior citizens living in care facilities, mobile home parks and senior apartment complexes within the City of Santee. Santee Santas reaches out to senior citizens at Christmas to ensure they are not forgotten during the holidays.
Each year a holiday plant is delivered to seniors living in Santee mobile home parks and over 100 stuffed animals are delivered to patients in the Stanford Court Nursing Home. Santee Santas also delivered a monthly box of food and household needs during the COVID pandemic.
The Senior Outreach Program continues to expand each year, as more seniors discover they may qualify for assistance from Santee Santas.
Important Dates
Applications
Applications are now available under the Apply for Assistance tab. Applications must be postmarked or received no later than December 5, 2022. Our final Application Pick-up and Drop-off opportunity is on Tuesday, November 29th, from 3:30 to 4:45 pm at the Rio Seco School Parking Lot.
Delivery Day
Thursday, December 22
We are using volunteers to deliver toys and food to our recipients. Please join us.
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: At the old Mimi's in Santee behind Phil's BBQ. Follow the signs.
Hear from the community
“When I moved to Santee a few years ago, I was looking for a way to volunteer my time. I came across Santee Santas while looking through the chamber of commerce magazine. I knew it would be a perfect fit for me. I spend my volunteer time wrapping gifts for families in need.”
- Angel
(Volunteer)
“This non-profit organization does so much good for the Santee Community and they are always looking for more volunteers for either the Toy Program, Food Program or Delivery Day Program.”
- Sam
(RETIRED Board Member)
“Thank you so much for bringing Christmas to our home. I can’t wait for Christmas morning to come! Wish you all a merry Christmas with your families. It warms my heart to see such generosity from our community. We wouldn’t have much if it wasn’t for you all thank you. “
- Kristy
(RECIPIENT)
Find a Volunteer Opportunity
- All adult volunteers must complete a volunteer application and waiver. Click below to sign up!
- Parents of volunteers under 18 should download and complete the child volunteer waiver and bring it to your child’s first volunteer event.