Santa Pal and Silver Santa Programs

There is not a city that cares more for their residents than Belton. As the holidays are among us and many families are in need, the City of Belton answers those needs of the residents with several “giving-back” programs.

The Santa Pal program sponsored by the Belton Fire Department, helps families in need provide gifts for their children for Christmas. The goal is to give each child up to three items, plus stocking stuffers, but the giving is determined upon current year’s donations. The BFD is still in desperate need of donations.

“Ninety-seven families with 271 children are in need this year for our Santa Pal program. We are especially in need of girl and boy gifts for ages 8-14 years. We are accepting donations at the fire station every day, all day until Friday, December 18,” said Chief Morgan of the BFD.

The Silver Santa program currently in its first year of operation, sponsored by the Belton Police Department, benefited the participants of the RU Ok? program, also sponsored by the BPD. Since the RU Ok? program was created in April 2013, the list has grown to 128 Belton resident participants.

“I think it is a wonderful program, especially for someone like me. I know I can get help when I need it. I get a phone call five days a week to check on me. They ask me if I am ok and if I have my call button necklace on,” said Erma Locklin, program participant and a Belton resident since 1959.

The Silver Santa program provides bags filled with lap blankets, puzzles, Chap stick, lotions, compact mirrors, pill holders, socks, hats, gloves, shampoos, razors, Band-Aids, and toothbrushes.

“We have 128 bags for our RU OK? program and some extra bags for our elderly that had been brought to our attention that are not necessarily in our program that are very sick and very needy. We had 10 officers and 10 CHIPS volunteers to get those bags out to the residents,” said BPD Volunteer Coordinator TammyJo McCleney. “We partnered with Belton Walmart. We did a mass shopping trip and gathered all the items we would like to see included in the bags. Walmart helped us prepackaged the bags that the community could buy; 130 bags priced at $15 each. Walmart then set up a display for us and all 130 bags were sold in eight days. The bags were delivered this morning (December 14, 2015) in teams. They (the participants) have been shocked that they got a bag that was coming from the police department and just grateful because it’s not every day that someone just comes up to them and give them a bag or gives them anything. A lot of these people in the program do not have family, they don’t get a Christmas card or a birthday card. So for a lot of them this is the only thing they will get.”

According to beltontexas.gov, the Belton Citizens Helping in Police Service (CHIPS) program was formed in late 2011 as a way to expand police resources through volunteers. CHIPS volunteers supplement department resources by helping the BPD with both the Silver Santa program and the RU OK? program.

“These are great programs because a lot people don’t have anybody and we are the only ones that they have. If I should get up and the day is not so great, I make a few phone calls to the people on the program and I feel so much better. I really enjoy what I am doing and if I can bring a little sunshine into their lives then I walk away also feeling good. We are told that they look forward to our call every day and that makes my day,” said CHIPS volunteer Anita Wyatt.