KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - People started lining up as early as four am to get food and toys from the Empty Stocking Fund. For 97 years the fundraiser has helped folks in East Tennessee enjoy Christmas.
Thousands lined the Jacobs Building in Chilhowee Park waiting for a gift from the Empty Stocking Fund. "This year we have more people in need, food prices increased dramatically, so it's more important than ever that we get a lot of contributions," says Deanene Catani with the Empty Stocking Fund.
More than 3500 baskets are given out to people in need. "Food is put on conveyor belts, the turkey and the bread are the last things to go in and the volunteers help folks get their baskets to the cars," says Catani.
Francis Alday, her 10-year-old son and her 4-year-old daughter braved the freezing temperatures and got in line at 9 AM. "You know I work, but you just don't have, the economy is making it really hard to buy anything."
She says she's thankful the fund will bring a little more Christmas cheer to their home. "I just appreciate this because, they want some extra toys, and I can get them one or two but the food basket is the most reason I'm here, they're looking at the toys upstairs."
Francis doesn't like to think about what their holiday would have been like without the help of so many. "Without the dinner it would be very sad, without the gifts it would be sad."
But 400 volunteers are making sure folks who come through these doors have no reason to be sad. "It means they have a Christmas. It means they'll have plenty of food and they won't have to worry about going hungry because these baskets should feed a family of 4 for a minimum of 7 days," says Catani.
And that's all Francis hopes to give her family this Christmas. "It will make me very happy so they're excited. So it's worth standing in the cold."
Volunteers say it's just as much of a blessing to give.
Of the 3500 baskets given away this year, about 850 were delivered yesterday to homebound seniors.
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