Be An Elf - Christmas Charity for Needy Kids - USPS Operation Santa
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Free Christmas Gift Delivery Photos

The first few photos below show real children and Moms receiving Christmas gifts from volunteers for the USPS ® program on Christmas Eve, 2004. Photos further down this page show volunteers from the public reading children’s letters to Santa. Until 2008, the Postal Service® left children’s home addresses on their letters, and volunteers could deliver gifts directly to families’ front doors. It was a moving experience; the photos of families receiving gifts below were taken by volunteer Patrick Reynolds. In 2008, the US Postal Service® began removing children’s home addresses to protect their privacy; since that Christmas, only postal workers may deliver gifts to families. We hope the media will be permitted to follow postal workers as they deliver gifts from volunteers. For now, these are the best photos we have of children and families receiving gifts. Journalists may click here to download additional art and a package of broadcast quality HD video B-roll. Please credit BeAnElf.org if photos or video are used. When clickable, the photos below link to a high resolution file of that photo.
Be An Elf volunteer Hans Dohm delivers Christmas gifts on Christmas eve, 2004. Since 2008, only mail carriers may deliver volunteers’ gifts.
Be An Elf volunteer Hans Dohm delivers Christmas gifts on Christmas eve, 2004. Since 2008, only mail carriers may deliver volunteers’ gifts.
A mother is overwhelmed with surprise and delight. “I had no money to buy my children presents this year. Thank you so much! This is wonderful.”
A mother is overwhelmed with surprise and delight. “I had no money to buy my children presents this year. Thank you so much! This is wonderful.”
Woman receiving free Christmas gifts when in need cries.
With that, she began to cry
Mother cries when receiving free Christmas gifts for kids
Hans just held her while she sobbed.
Three single mothers were all smiles. The Moms and their kids were sharing this home. They said there was no bed, and Hans got them a bed.
Three single mothers were all smiles. The Moms and their kids were sharing this home. They said there was no bed, and Hans got them a bed.
Little girl receiving gifts at Christmas
Guess who wrote to Santa! Our guess is, she shared her gifts with her sisters.
Little girl takes Christmas presents inside her house.
Sorry, but I need to go inside now. Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Happy Children receive Christmas presents
Happy mother holding Christmas gifts at front door.
“Thank you, she will love these! And thanks for the present for me! Merry Christmas!”
Volunteers load up their cars to deliver Christmas gifts to needy kids.
The back of volunteer Elf Hans Dohm’s van, loaded with presents. This was taken Christmas eve 2004, as Hans delivered his gifts to needy children who wrote to Santa.

The photos below were taken in the Los Angeles post office on Central Avenue,
in South Central Los Angeles, in December, 2013.

All the below click the through to high resolution images.

Elf in Chief - Patrick Reynolds - reads letters at an LA USPS Post Office.
Volunteers for USPS Operation Santa read letters at the Los Angeles post office.
Man and woman volunteer to help sort LA letters to Santa.
Letters to Santa gifts being prepared by Elf volunteers at Be An Elf.
Man and his child volunteer to answer letters to Santa in Los Angeles.
Woman and son volunteer to answer letters to Santa.
Gifts are dropped off by Operation Santa Volunteers
Above: Presents dropped off by Operation Santa volunteers, waiting to be shipped to families by the Postal Service®.
Volunteer Patrick Reynolds reads letters to Santa in Los Angeles.
Above: Volunteer Patrick Reynolds reads letters to Santa in Los Angeles on December 3, 2013.
Patrick Reynolds proudly holds letters to Santa.
Patrick Reynolds appears happy as he holds several children's real letters to Santa.
Christmas lights string of Christmas Lights

Help us bring smiles to needy kids on Christmas morning.

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Great Non-Profits - Top Rated Nonprofit - Be An Elf

Only volunteers sending gifts should contact us. Santa will not see your message here! If you’re seeking gifts, contact Santa’s Christmas volunteers through our seeking gifts page. If you want to give gifts, click below.

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Join Our Volunteer Elves

Get info about how you can send gifts directly to a needy child, and a reminder about this program next Christmas. If you’re seeking gifts, we’ll tell you where to write Santa. Please check only one box below.

After signing up, you will receive occasional emails during the Christmas season. We will never share your information with third parties, and you can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of the few messages we send. Thank you for being an Elf!

Be An Elf is a tax-exempt 501c3 children’s Christmas charity. Contributions are tax-deductible. We are not affiliated with USPS Operation Santa® but we support it by creating public awareness of the program online and in social media, by recruiting and orienting new volunteers to the program, and by offering tips to needy families writing to Santa. Be An Elf also uses donations to adopt letters to Santa and send gifts to the kids who wrote them. We will never share your info with third parties; see Be An Elf’s privacy policy.

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