APD’s Operation Blue Santa in need of volunteers to distribute gifts

AUSTIN, Texas – The holidays are rapidly approaching and Operation Blue Santa is ready to spread the cheer. But they need help to make sure it’s a Merry Christmas for thousands of Austin families. 

Margarine Beaman, the President of Operation Blue Santa, joined FOX 7 Austin’s Mike Warren to discuss.

If you would like to help distribute gifts to families in the North Austin area, the location has changed. Here is the updated list of locations:

Margarine Beaman: Well, thank you so much. We’re so excited to be here today. And we do have a lot of need because we have a lot of families that we want to serve on the 17th.

Mike Warren: Okay. Well, for those people who are unfamiliar, just tell us what Blue Santa is.

Margarine Beaman: Blue Santa started in 1972. This year, we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary, and that’s really exciting for us, that we’re here for 50 years, and we have more families than we’ve ever served this year that we’re going to serve. So it’s going to be an exciting year for us. We will probably on Saturday we have about 5200 families that we will be serving, and we need people from all areas of the city to come and help us deliver, which is north substation. Which domain south substation would be a Ralph ABLANEDO, a substation on Springdale. And then the main place is 4101 South Industrial Drive.

Mike Warren: Okay. With the gift delivering scheduled on Saturday, people want to help out. Volunteers want to come and help deliver. Where do they need to be and when and where do they need to bring with them?

Margarine Beaman: They need to bring an automobile because they will be delivering from their automobile. The larger you have, the more you can load into your automobile with the boxes that go to the families. The families are usually very close together. So you might have one on one block, maybe two blocks over, you’ll have another one. So it depends on how many you want to take, whatever fits in your car or your pick-up you can take with you. If you have a pick-up or open air bed, then you’ll want to bring a tarp or something, so your items don’t fall out.

Mike Warren: Okay, between now and delivery time. Are there other ways that people can help out?

Margarine Beaman: Yes, we’re having people volunteer at the warehouse now, and that’s important because we’re making the boxes and then the others will start on the at the warehouse, then on delivery day, they can come as early as 7:00 or even earlier. Help us get all the boxes ready to go out to the different areas. So those are all the important things that we need on that day to make it beautiful. The day should be great. I think the weather, it’s going to be good. It’s going to be cool. They get everybody in the spirit and that makes it easier to deliver than if it’s really a hot day.

Mike Warren: You know. Margarine What makes Blue Santa so special to you?

Margarine Beaman: Blue Santa I started helping them. It’s been a long time ago, and it was just something I did after work. I went and helped them when they started way before they got the warehouse they have now. And it was seeing the smiles on the children’s faces and the parents. When you go to the houses to deliver it, it’s just amazing. They’re so excited. Some of them cry uncontrollably. Some of them are just can’t get over that. We really showed up to help them and are so thankful for the items that we bring.

Mike Warren: Last couple of years we’ve had the pandemic a lot of changes this year. What is different? Do you have different challenges this year because there’s no pandemic or is it back to normal?

Margarine Beaman: Yes. And so we’re hoping to get a lot more people to help deliver this year since the pandemic is over and people are more eager to get out and help. And that’s going to really make a big difference for us, because when the pandemic was there, it was very hard to serve the individuals. We had to do it a completely different way. And all the families where the children get toys up to 14 years of age also get a food gift card for a holiday meal.

Mike Warren: Okay, terrific. Well, we wish you the best. It is a great program. For years, you’ve been helping so many people. So we appreciate you making time to stop by. And hopefully a lot of people come out to volunteer and help out, especially come delivery time. So, Margarine Beeman, Blue Santa, thank you very much for being here.