2002 Readers Care Fund: Variety of donation options

People interested in donating money or time to the Forgotten Children's Fund, one of five agencies benefiting from this year's Readers Care Fund, have a variety of options.

Monetary donations help to provide new jackets, toys and bikes, as well as food to needy families; the fund does not take in or deliver secondhand toys or donated clothing. The Forgotten Children's Fund is a non-profit organization run by volunteers.

The group's warehouse ("Santa's Workshop") -- for volunteer operations only -- is at 15815 S.E. 37th St. in Bellevue (Eastgate), 98002. From Seattle, go east on Interstate 90 and take exit 11-A, east to the 150th Avenue Southeast traffic light. Go straight on Southeast 37th (parallel to the freeway) past the Outback Steakhouse, Schuck's Auto Supply and a recreational-vehicle park. The warehouse is to the right.

Because there are not enough people to staff phones and return phone calls, anyone interested in volunteering is urged to show up between the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Although the fund has enough volunteers for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day "ho-ho runs" (deliveries), volunteers are still needed to help wrap about 13,000 to 14,000 gifts -- mostly toys and warm jackets -- for delivery. The wrap center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Dec. 10, 12, 14, 15, 18 and 19.

Volunteers with expertise in bike fine-tuning can join bicycle "work parties" Saturday, Sunday, Dec. 14 and 15.

The fund will still accept bicycles, provided they are in excellent ("new or almost new") condition, and the donor can drop them off at the warehouse. For information, call the fund hot line, 206-654-0330 or consult the Web site: www.forgottenchildrensfund. org. John O'Brien, former Kingdome manager, is now development director for the Forgotten Children's Fund. O'Brien and his twin brother, Edward -- both former Seattle University basketball stars -- have volunteered with the fund for years.

One of John O'Brien's favorite memories as Forgotten Children's Fund Santa was a visit to a young girl whose father did not have enough money to buy her the bicycle she so desperately wanted. The father had told her Santa had "run out" of bicycles because so many other children wanted them.

O'Brien recalls that the girl told him, "It's OK, Santa. I know you've run out of bicycles."

But O'Brien signaled to his brother, Jim, to find the child a bike from Santa's "sleigh" (a van). Santa told the girl and her father to close their eyes, then presented the bicycle.

"I'll never forget the dad's face; the tears were flowing," John O'Brien said. "He ran alongside the van thanking us as we drove away."

The agencies

Central Youth and Family Services: Providing counseling, teen support groups, school dropout prevention, drug and alcohol treatment and parenting help. 206-322-7676

Forgotten Children's Fund: Organizing volunteers to help Santa distribute gifts to needy children throughout the area. 206-654-0330

Powerful Voices: Providing leadership skills, developing critical thinking and promoting individual potential in at-risk adolescent girls in Seattle public middle schools and in and out of juvenile detention. 206-860-1026

Rise n' Shine: Providing emotional support and advocacy for children affected by HIV or AIDS, including a holiday gift fund, summer camp, and training and supervision of volunteer mentors. 206-628-8949

Southwest Youth and Family Services: Providing counseling, parenting education, writing workshops and classes in English as a second language and citizenship. 206-937-7680

Every dollar contributed by readers goes to the agencies, with administrative costs covered by the P-I. The fund has raised more than $4.6 million since 1978.

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