Nonprofit Spotlight: Blue Cares’ Blue Santa

In the Spotlight: Blue Cares’ Blue Santa

A simple gift can change a life, and Blue Santa is our way of saying “we care.”

The Blue Cares’ Blue Santa is dedicated to making sure all of the children in need on his list receive gifts this holiday season. Since its inception in 1976, the Blue Cares’ Blue Santa Program has been bringing holiday happiness to thousands of families across San Antonio. Blue Cares is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the community outreach program of the San Antonio Police Officers’ Association (SAPOA). Blue Cares’ mission is to provide year-round services and assistance to underprivileged, low-income, at-risk children and their families.

Blue Cares’ Blue Santa shares gifts with families struggling to make ends meet. Police officers are in a unique position to see the struggles families endure throughout the year, so SAPOA began partnering with local businesses, organizations and volunteers to collect food, clothes, toys, and monetary donations to assist thousands of families.

Last year alone, the Blue Cares’ Blue Santa program provided toys to over 1,500 children. That’s more than 10,000 since 2015. They are working to increase that number in 2022. To ensure success in the month of December, our Blue Santa Program is a year-round initiative.

During the Holidays, San Antonio police officers, volunteers, and Blue Santa, work very hard to deliver all the necessary items to underprivileged children and their families.

How can you help?

Blue Cares welcomes new, unwrapped toy donations all year long, but especially during the Holiday Season. For a list of toy drop-off locations and a way to make a donation can be found on our website www.bluecaresicare.com.

Blue Cares Executive Director, Amanda Gonzalez answers a few of our questions: Describe your organization’s mission in your own words.

Our mission is to support underprivileged and lowincome families throughout the community by providing signature Blue Santa, and Patricia Calderon Scholarship programs. Most recently, we opened a grant program this year that provided over $70,000 in assistance to fourteen San Antonio nonprofits that are recovering from the challenges of the pandemic.

What is a common misconception about your organization or the mission you serve?

A common misconception about our organization is that our funding source is solely from the members of the San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA). While we are appreciative of the support of volunteers we receive from SAPOA, we work diligently to try and fundraise throughout the year to support our organization.

What does $100 support when donating to your organization?

With the cost of inflation creating more challenges for families to make ends meet, we are in dire need of donations to help bring holiday joy to families. The average cost of a toy is $15. With a $100 donation, you will bless three children with two new toys for Christmas. Our program provides two new toys to each child that applies for the program, as well as a food box in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank.

For more information please visit www.bluecaresicare.com.