USPS Operation Santa 2013 kicks off Dec 3, but Christmas volunteers may not find postal branches offering needy kids' letters to Santa

BeAnElf.org fills the need - Offers Operation Santa branch locations and tips for volunteers

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In 17 major US cities this week, the US Postal Service's Operation Santa will begin offering the public letters to Santa written by low income children. Volunteers can "adopt" letters from needy kids asking Santa for "a warm coat," "food or clothes," or "shoes for my older brother," and then mail their gifts directly to the family they chose.

But many wishing to answer a child's letter to Santa will be unable to locate a participating postal branch. Online searches for Operation Santa, even at www.USPS.com, will not readily result in the USPS' current directory.

www.BeAnElf.org fills this need. The site is a much-needed resource letting the public know where they can volunteer for Operation Santa and how it offers an easy-to-find, current list of all participating USPS branches, along with the hours of operation.

The USPS will have its Operation Santa kickoff at 11am on Tuesday, December 3^rd in New York City. Children's Santa letters will also be offered at a single postal branch in each of the following cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Orlando, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, Houston, Cincinnati, Newark and 7 others. This year marks the 101st anniversary of the Operation Santa program, started by the USPS in 1912.

www.BeAnElf.org is the best online guide to Operation Santa. The website offers an easy-to-find list of this year's 17 participating branches, tips for gifts for needy kids, such as backpacks and school supplies, and suggests a small gift for Moms, who the site notes are "often single and living below the poverty line." Be An Elf recommends that volunteers share the work and the fun, and give Christmas parties to which friends bring gifts, and wrap them together.

Some people feel alone and sad over the holidays, and find comfort being part of this program. Other volunteers have families and bring their kids to teach them the meaning of Christmas. Companies may adopt multiple letters.

BeAnElf.org hopes that reporters will include a mention of the site, so the public can easily learn where their nearest postal branch is. Be An Elf's spokesperson Patrick Reynolds is also available for interviews; see links to some past TV interviews below.

Be An Elf suggests that reporters follow actual volunteers -- as they read letters, shop for a child and later wrap gifts at home, perhaps together with their friends.

The Be An Elf home page notes, "There's no middle man or charity. It's micro-philanthropy, direct from you to a child, when you volunteer in this way. You'll catch the true spirit of the holidays, and put smiles on the faces of needy kids on Christmas morning."

The non-profit group was founded in 2004 by Patrick Reynolds, a longtime volunteer for Operation Santa.  

Be An Elf's List of 2013 branches: http://www.BeAnElf.org/2013Locations.pdf

Links to recent news coverage: 

NBC Today Show mentions BeAnElf.org at end of segment, as a good way to find out where to volunteer, December 9, 2012 

MSNBC News Segment with Be An Elf spokesperson Patrick Reynolds, December 4, 2011 

Fox News Channel Segment with Be An Elf spokesperson Patrick Reynolds, December 5, 2011

SOURCE BeAnElf.org