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Nov 08, 2009 (The Charlotte Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A record 13,500 children have registered for the Salvation Army's annual Christmas program, presenting the agency with its greatest challenge ever in supplying enough free toys, gifts and food.

Friday was the final day to sign up, and about 2,000 more children registered than last year, Salvation Army officials say. The agency also saw a jump in the number of seniors and people with disabilities registering for the Silver Bells program: 600, compared with 250 last year.

The agency is trying to recruit thousands of patrons and volunteers for a wide variety of tasks, including buying gifts for needy children and seniors. The agency hopes to avoid a repeat of last year, when it ran out of toys and had to buy more with $23,000 from the Empty Stocking Fund.

"We're looking at 25 to 30 percent more children than last year, so we need that much more from the public," said Jim Price, director of development for the Salvation Army. "We're asking companies, places of worship and individuals to host toy drives, food drives and coat drives. If you have the ability to help your neighbors, these next six weeks are when we need you the most."

For those who don't want to volunteer, he said, the agency could use cash donations for buying basic supplies, including stockings to fill.

Salvation Army officials blame the increased need on the worsening recession, along with a decision by the county's Department of Social Services this year to discontinue the holiday programs it hosted for children and seniors. People who registered in those programs last year have been redirected by DSS to the Salvation Army's Angel Tree and Silver Bells programs.

Among the patrons who have already signed up is Wachovia-Wells Fargo employee Tammy Buck of Charlotte, who is also helping to register other patrons for the Salvation Army.

Buck said she has adopted two children a year through the Angel Tree program for the past 10 years, none of whom she has actually met. The inspiration comes from her mother, who was helped by the Salvation Army's Christmas programs as a child.

"That's the only Christmas my mom knew, and she instilled in me how important the Salvation Army is," says Buck, a mother of two. "I've seen for myself the gratitude. I guess two years ago, there was a woman who came to pick up gifts for her nieces, and she was standing there by herself with four huge bags of gifts and five bikes, just crying. She was so overwhelmed."

Buck admits she cried, too.

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Mark Price

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