NEW YORK CITY — For most of us it’s the most wonderful time of the year, a time to celebrate with family and friends. In anticipation of receiving gifts, on the eve of Christmas children set out cookies and milk for Santa and his reindeer to enjoy while sending presents down the chimney and placing them under the tree. Not a creature is stirring all through the house – all fast asleep in anticipation of his arrival and on Christmas morning wake up to find their dreams fulfilled.
However, for millions of children and their families Christmas morning arrives and no presents are waiting for them.
The New York Operation Santa Program is a letter-writing campaign that allows members of the public to respond to children’s letters addressed to Santa Claus, the North Pole and other seasonal characters. The New York Main Post Office annually receives upward of half a million letters from children and families many asking Santa for help.
“Just as we’ve done for decades, we are pleased to continue this holiday program for the families in our community this year,” says New York District Manager William Schnaars.
The District Manager invites the public and the media to attend the New York Operation Santa Kick Off Ceremony taking place on Dec 3 at 11:00 a.m. in front of the life size Gingerbread House on display at the Main Post Office, 421 8th Ave, Manhattan NY. There will be free cookies and hot chocolate for all.
Exclusive Interview opportunity for New York City Media
The Leader of the New York District postal service, William Schnaars, District Manager for the big apple and the Bronx, will be available to media after the Letters to Santa event to talk ‘one on one’ during an exclusive media session. The media will learn about the extraordinary mail volumes, delivering Amazon mail on Sundays, the increase in package business and how that impacts business. Mail volumes in New York are seeing a spike in business with letters and packages upward of 5.8 million processed and delivered on a daily basis leading up to Christmas Eve. Media requesting an exclusive tour to film holiday mail processing at the Morgan Processing and Distribution Center on 29th and 9th Avenue in Manhattan can be arranged.
Santa Letter Ceremony
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Media Interview Session: Immediately following 11am Operation Santa Ceremony
Location:
James A. Farley Post Office Building
421 8th Ave.,
New York, NY 10001
Enter on 8th Avenue
In addition, Schnaars will give insight on recommended deadline mailing dates for packages to reach Military, International and Domestic addresses in time for Christmas.
Schnaars will speak about the substantial growth in packages being shipped through the postal service and what this means in terms of getting back to financial stability.
Schnaars will be available to speak on most questions media may ask of him.
Background about Operation Santa
The program includes safeguards to protect the privacy of the children. Volunteers do not receive the child’s original letter with the family’s address; they receive a photo copy with the personal information blacked out. Volunteers can select letters at the Operation Santa Office in the lobby of the Manhattan Main Post Office, 481 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Street, Manhattan NY 10199 starting on December 3, Monday – Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. up through December 24, 2013.
Volunteers bring purchased presents back to Manhattan’s James A. Farley Main Post Office and pay for the postage to have the items sent to the recipients. Volunteers must also bring the copy of the child’s letter when mailing the gift(s). All presents may be returned to the Manhattan Main Post Office Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. December 4, through December 24, 2013.
The Postal Service began receiving letters to Santa Claus more than 100 years ago. However, its involvement was made official when in 1912 Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local Postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to letters, and thus introducing the first Operation Santa Program.
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