Toughest job at Forgotten Children's Fund: Deciding who gets help

EDITOR'S NOTE: For a quarter- century, Seattle Post- Intelligencer have donated generously to the newspaper's annual Readers Care Fund, generating more than $5 million for local charities. Today, we look at one of the charities benefiting this year: The Forgotten Children's Fund, which every year provides toys, warm jackets and food to children and their families who would otherwise be unable to celebrate the holiday.

It is an idea begun 28 years ago, when a little boy wrote a letter to Santa, giving him directions so he wouldn't get lost on the way to the lad's house that year. Of all the elves in The Forgotten Children's Fund workshop, Patricia Davis has the toughest job.

She doesn't lift the cases of toys and jackets in the unheated building where they are wrapped and sorted. She doesn't assemble any of the 600 or so bicycles that will be given to needy children this year, and she doesn't load the trucks up on Christmas Eve for deliveries.

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The truth is, many of the people who do those jobs couldn't handle what Davis and her crew have to do. Davis is the chief screener, leading the team of about 10 people who read every single letter asking The Forgotten Children's Fund for help.

It's their job to decide which of the more than 2,000 families will be chosen.

"You want to help them all," Davis said. But only about one-third will make the cut before the FCF runs out of money and volunteers.

It's an emotionally wrenching job, FCF President John O'Brien said. "The men can't handle it."

But Davis and her team have some tools that help them get through it. "We have boxes of tissues," she said.

After reading the letters, the screeners sort them into three groups, from the most to least needy. Then they start making calls on the first group.

They have to ask some tough, personal questions about family resources, Davis said. "Not everybody feels comfortable calling," Davis said.

The letters are heartbreaking. This year, one woman sent copies of her two children's birth certificates, along with her husband's death certificate and her pay stubs.

She explained that she has been in a deep depression since her husband died two years ago and that her son has been struggling as well. She earns minimum wage and has no benefits.

She said she didn't know whether her children still believe in Santa. "Last year my son was very sad and disappointed," she wrote. "This year we have not even acknowledged that Christmas is coming."

Another mother wrote about her 8-year-old son's struggle with chronic granulomatous disease, which makes him susceptible to severe bacterial and fungal infections.

The little boy has been through 26 surgeries on parts of his body from his eyebrows to his spine, lungs and brain.

During his first surgery, at the age of 3, his mother was in labor, giving birth to his brother. As a result of his illness, the photograph included with the letter shows that the boys are the same size, despite their age difference.

"That was the beginning of living in and out of the hospital," she wrote.

She was able to find work at many of the hospitals he stayed in. "But each time I would start a job, he would get very ill," forcing her to quit to take care of him.

The family moved to Minnesota several years ago to get treatment there, but this year moved back to Seattle to be near family, the mother wrote.

"I would like to provide the boys with a beautiful Christmas back in their hometown," she wrote.

Davis, who began volunteering with The Forgotten Children's Fund when she was 24, said they are seeing more letters from grandparents raising their children's offspring in recent years.

One grandma who just got her grandchildren out of the foster system wrote this year, saying it had been so long since they had anything for Christmas, "they don't believe in Santa Claus."

"We're going to change that for them," Davis said.

Another trend she's seen recently is that of people who have been laid off from good-paying jobs and unable to find full-time work. "They might have a nice house, but they might not have it next month," she said.

The Forgotten Children's Fund started in 1976 when a letter to Santa from a little boy identified only as "Craig" reached Francisco's Restaurant in Seattle.

The letter pleaded with Santa not to get lost again this year and gave directions to his house.

"Craig" was never found, but people were so touched by the letter they collected toys to help other children.

Since then, the all-volunteer organization has grown and expanded into Pierce, Island and, for the first time this year, Chelan counties.

Some of the volunteers have been with the fund since its inception. "Once they do it, they are locked in," O'Brien said.

For many, working for The Forgotten Children's Fund is as much a part of their Christmas as a tree or carols.

And for some, it's a way of paying back what they were given. "A lot of people we help will come back as adults, and they are lifelong volunteers," Davis said.

Everyone working in the wrapping center or "North Pole" as they call it, seems full of holiday cheer.

The sense of camaraderie is palpable as O'Brien and operations manager Buzz Larson trade good-natured barbs.

It's a good thing they enjoy the work, and each other's company. Because providing Christmas for children who wouldn't otherwise have one isn't a part-time commitment for many of these volunteers.

Larson has a trailer set up outside where he sleeps three nights a week.

And there will be many long nights of work ahead before 33 Santas suit up on Christmas Eve to make deliveries of toys, food and warm jackets.

But none of them would give it up if you begged them.

"This makes me feel like what Christmas is all about," Davis said.

Anyone interested in volunteering to wrap or distribute gifts should call 800-351-2575 or check the Web site at www.forgottenchildrens fund.org.

"We've never turned down a volunteer," O'Brien said.

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