http://news.insing.com/tabloid/santa-letters-answered-post-office/id-44683f00
Another letter from a 12-year-old wanted nothing for himself, just something for his single mother, because she worked so hard.
Heartrending letters like these are sent each year to the Post Office 'Letters to Santa' programme, now in its 100th year.
Postal employees go through the hundreds of thousands of letters addressed to "Santa Claus, North Pole, Alaska" to separate out those that express serious need.
Some of the letters are answered by charitable groups, businesses, schools, postal employees and individual anonymous givers, who can go to participating branches, pick letters and go shopping.
Letters this year are reflecting a greater need for necessities, and have included more letters from adults looking for work who need help buying for their children, according to both Chicago postal workers and givers.
"You're reading letters from six-year-old, eight-year-old kids who aren't asking for video games, they're asking for winter coats and food on the table, which is not something you'd think of kids writing to Santa for," said Kelley Fernandez, 26, who along with her colleague Debbie Schmidt, 53, who work for Toji Trading Group, have answered letters from Santa for three years.
Schmidt and Fernandez say they take along a box of tissues to read the letters, because they can be so emotional. Fernandez recalled that last year, a little girl wrote: "Dear Santa, we're staying with our auntie because our mother can no longer take care of us, and we want you to know where we are this year."
Schmidt said she also sees requests from grandmothers, single mums and single dads.
Last year, Schmidt and Fernandez got other colleagues involved, and this year the whole Chicago office plus the Singapore office participated.
The employees bought gifts for 26 families this year, including 106 children – at 40 boxes the largest "Santa" shipment this year from the Chicago branch.
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