Though fall’s only arrived, a St. Charles nonprofit is on the lookout ahead of the Christmas season for Santa’s helpers to help shop for gifts for area schoolchildren and families facing financial hardship.

Big Hearts of Fox Valley is in its 12th year of serving children within St. Charles School District 303. The nonprofit is in need of more volunteers and sponsors to be “Santa’s Helpers” during their Christmas Gift Sponsorship program this year.

Big Hearts of Fox Valley was founded by St. Charles residents Minor and Jennifer Mobley in 2014 to benefit District 303 children and families in need.

In 2024, program volunteers delivered more than 10,000 presents to local families.

Jennifer Mobley said this year they expect 600 children to register with the program. The agency needs donations and volunteer sponsors to fulfill about 200 more wish lists.

“It’s important that we get the community’s help to make Christmas special for these kids, who without them, may wake up Christmas morning without anything beneath the tree,” Mobley said. “Every kid deserves to wake up with gifts underneath the tree Christmas morning.”

Big Hearts relies on district social workers and administrators to identify gift recipients each year.

The agency operates four programs every year – the Christmas Gift Sponsorship program, the Back to School program, Warm Coats Warm Hearts and Big Hearts Throughout the Year.

Through the Christmas Gift Sponsorship program, BHFV coordinates with families in need and local volunteers to ensure area children receive meaningful and personal gifts.Each sponsor receives a wish list that reflects the child’s specific wants and needs, curated by their parents or guardians.

Mobley said the program is different from other Christmas gift drives in that the lists are personalized. The families can also write a note to their sponsor, which she said is often an outpouring of gratitude.

“The nice thing about our program is the sponsors are able to feel a real connection to the children they’re shopping for,” Mobley said. “There’s real sense of connection, even though the families are anonymous, they still get a feeling of gratitude from these families.”

Along with the children’s presents, every family also receives a grocery store gift card and a family board game.

Volunteers and sponsors can sign up to participate as Santa’s Helpers until Oct. 15.

Santa’s Helpers will receive their wish lists by Oct. 22 and should drop off the gifts at BHFV by Nov. 18. Shoppers are expected to purchase between five and 10 items from each child’s list, spending a minimum of $75 per child.

The presents are distributed during the Santa’s Drive Thru event each December at BHFV.

BHFV is located at 720 N. 17th St. and exclusively serves District 303 students, which include children from St. Charles and portions of Wayne, Wasco, Elburn, West Chicago, South Elgin, Campton Hills and unincorporated Kane County.

Community members and business owners can support Big Hearts of Fox Valley year round by making monetary donations, volunteering their time, signing up to be sponsors or hosting collection boxes at their businesses.

For more information on Big Hearts of Fox Valley or to volunteer, visit their website at www.bigheartsfv.org or email info@bigheartsfv.org.