Hundreds of Secret Santas Gather to Present Gifts to Special Needs Children

On Dec. 18, hundreds of presents were delivered to more than 500 underprivileged Inland Regional Center (IRC) children with developmental disabilities and their siblings. The Angel Toy Drive was the 14th annual joint effort between IRC’s nonprofit organization, Another Way, and Inland Empire agencies to provide toys and holiday cheer to children with developmental disabilities. Deserving children and their families were greeted by a winter wonderland of presents piled high, holiday music, delicious treats, expertly decorated Christmas trees and of course, a visit from Santa. Happy guests eagerly struck a holiday pose with St. Nick. For many, this was their first photo with Santa. When the clock struck 11 a.m., Santa and his helpers were present to witness 500 boys and girls anxiously opening their gifts, which included books, action figures, art sets, clothes and much more. “There’s nothing quite like witnessing the joy of the season on a child’s face" said Another Way Director Susan Gomez. "Businesses and members of our community have been coming together for 14 years with Another Way to bring Christmas cheer to our neighbors in need — and each year it just gets better." This year’s participating “Secret Santas” included IRC, electronics distributor Ingram Micro, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and the San Bernardino Superior Court. Another Way is a volunteer organization led by employees of Inland Regional Center (IRC), one of 21 regional centers in California serving adults and children with developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism. IRC is the primary provider of services for about 28,000 developmentally disabled adults and children in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.