The goal was simple: To feed and provide gifts for 100 families. "This is one of the best parts of the year because people join together to make Christmas better for the citizens in our community," Kings County Sheriff Chris Jordan said. "When Christmas may look bleak, it's truly remarkable to have someone bring you gifts that you weren't counting on.

"He may have a uniform on, but Santa appears in many ways."

Deputies and employees with the Sheriff's Department took to the streets on Black Friday (Nov. 27) to ask for donations to help the needy, tin cans in hand.

What they found was that, despite the strained economy, people were still willing to give generously.

"It may have been Black Friday, but it was a bright day for us," Jordan said.

In just four hours of work, the Sheriff's Department raised $6,400. Combined with additional funds raised by the Sheriff Department's Citizens on Patrol and St. James Lutheran Church, it looked like there might be enough to reach the group's goal; 100 families, each receiving a basket of food and a few toys for each of the children.

"From a law enforcement standpoint, public service is what we are all about," Administrative Sgt. Jeff Torres said. "We're not just here to bust criminals and take them to jail. We're here to help the public. Period. People are suffering in our community. If we have the resources to help them, then it is our duty to help out."

The idea is not just to give gifts to children, but to feed a family as well. To that end, each gift basket comes with five pounds of rice, five pounds of beans, cake mix, dressing, cans of peas, corn and green beans and a turkey or ham with stuffing. The deputies are hoping that this will be enough to help most families eat well for a week or more.

"Last year, we took a home-cooked meal to this family," community member Judy Horn said. "Tears were coming down, everyone was crying. And then, the little girl took the pie we gave them and set it under the Christmas tree."

When each child receives a present, it will not be an unmarked gift. Every toy is chosen with the child's age group in mind, so that on Christmas morning, when the kids come to the tree, they will find presents labeled just for them.

"We want to give the kids meaningful gifts, specially wrapped and labeled and delivered right to their door," Jordan said. "The marvelous part is knocking on the doors, seeing the smiles. They always want us to come into their house, to stay a while. It is a joy to see the gratitude they display. I'm just happy to be a part of it."

In addition to toys bought with the donated money, the Sheriff's Department also received gifts donated by Toys for Tots and California State Prison, Corcoran.

"It was an amazing outpouring of support," Torres said. "This was absolutely a good thing, especially in these days of bad economic downturn. It really says a lot about our community, that they were willing to give so much during these hard times."

For Citizens on Patrol member Jim Highfill, it is the look on the children's faces that makes all the effort worthwhile.

"It's amazing to see just how happy they get," Highfill said. "They even get excited over the food baskets! There was a boy a couple years back that was jumping up and down and hollering because he had a turkey for Christmas. He just thought that was the best thing in the world."

One year, deputies arrived at a home to deliver a gift package and discovered that the house was remarkably cold. As they left, the men and women apparently decided to return to town, buy a heater and bring it back so the children could be warm throughout the night.

"When we go to a home and we see the need that is there, it is important for us to do something about it," Jordan said. "We are people that care. This is bigger than the badges we carry. We are in a position where we can see the need and do something about it. We have a wonderful community here and we all want to help."

Advocates for the program say that an extra effort is made to ensure that all of the recipients are people in need, and not those that may try to take advantage of people's generosity.

"We don't have a list that people can just sign up for," Horn said. "We quietly find people in our own ways."

Additional gift baskets will also be given to local residents signed up with the Sheriff's Department "Are You OK?" program. The program calls elderly residents and people in poor health on a daily basis to make sure they are OK.

"The deputies are the first responders; you go out on the scene and help out," dispatch supervisor Laurie Porcari said. "Those of us in dispatch, we never hear how things turn out. People don't usually call us back to thank us. So, we like doing this, because it makes a positive impact and we can see the results firsthand."

Torres said while helping 100 families is a good start, the Sheriff's Department plans to reach even more people next year.

"This is the first time since I've been doing programs like this that a company has told me, 'We can't help you out this year, we are really hurting,'" Torres said. "You really have to feel for them, and it gives you an idea of just how much the nation is hurting."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(Dec. 19, 2008)