Tonight was the first night of the Santa Express, the Salvation Army food, clothing, and toy drive for needy families in Central Oregon. Over the next several nights the Santa Express will be visiting different neighborhoods to collect donations—Santa himself and the Bend Fire Department will be on-hand for the collection.

Here’s the official release, and schedule:

With the down turn in the economy comes more need for support of local food banks and charities, and The Salvation Army is no different. In 2009 The Salvation Army provided Christmas presents for 600 children in the Bend area. In 2010 that number will nearly triple to an estimated 1,500! The Salvation Army has seen an increase in food box requests from 250 a month in July to over 500 in October! Anything and everything helps, even if its one can of food or a small toy, that donation will go a long ways to providing a good dinner on Christmas and a smile on a child’s face Christmas morning.

Bend Fire Department’s Santa Express food and clothing drive is heading into Bend Neighborhoods Monday December 6th through Thursday December 9th. The Bend Firefighter’s Association and Bend Fire and Rescue are working with The Salvation Army to collect non-perishable food items, clothing, and toys for needy families in Bend and Central Oregon. Neighborhood residents are encouraged to listen for the fire engine and Santa, and bring donations to the street for collection. There will be many volunteers walking along with Santa the fire engines to collect the donated items. Please advise children to use caution around the moving fire engines.

The Santa Express schedule is as follows:
(maps are available on www.ci.bend.or.us)

• Monday December 6: Morning Star, Canal View, Wishing well and Phoenix Park
• Tuesday December 7: Larkspur, Foxborough and Sun Meadow
• Wednesday December 8: Providence, areas north and south of Neff Road.
• Thursday December 9: NW Crossing, Skyliner Summit

If we don’t come through your neighborhood you can always drop off non-perishable foods, new toys or clothing to:

• Bend Fire Department fire station or either (www.ci.bend.or.us for maps) – boxes have been places as of Wednesday 11/10/10 and will be there till Monday 12/20/10
• Bend Memorial Clinics – Westside on Mt. Bachelor Drive and Eastside on Neff Road
• The Salvation Army at 755 NE 2nd Street, Bend.
• Starbucks – Toys only (Westside on Century Dr., Downtown, Fred Meyers, Cascade Village Shopping Center and East side on 27th St)
• Central Oregon Community College – Campus Center Building

Thanks ahead of time from Bend Firefighters Association, Bend Fire and Rescue, and The Salvation Army for helping needy families this holiday season. If you need help from this holiday season with food or presents, please call The Salvation Army at 389-8888.