Hundreds line up for holiday food and toy program in San Jose

SAN JOSE (KGO) -- Hundreds of people braved the early morning chill Friday to register for holiday food and toys. They're lined up outside a San Jose charity that helps the less fortunate in the heart of wealthy Silicon Valley.

Families started staking out a spot for the holiday food box and toy give away at Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose Thursday night. The people at the front of the line showed up yesterday at 4 p.m. The line was more than three blocks long as of late Friday morning.

It's first come, first serve. Virginia Hernandez has been here before, so she came early.

"Right now, with the economy it's a little hard for a lot of families. Thank God we have a job, but it's not enough," said Virginia Hernandez.

Sacred Heart has been doing the giveaway for 50 years. This year, they hope to give away 4,000 Thanksgiving food boxes, 3,200 Christmas food boxes and three toys each to 5,500 kids.

To make that happen, they rely on donations & volunteers like the students at Presentation High School. The all-girls school brought warm food and hot drinks for the hundreds in line, but they say they're the ones who received a gift.

"It's amazing to hear that just passing bagels and passing coffee, can bring such a smile and joy to their faces," said Jo Sanford of Presentation High School.

"Our holiday program truly comes together through the generosity of the people watching this at home," Graciela Mann of Sacred Heart Community Service.

Organizers say while the tech industry is booming in the Silicon Valley, low income families are facing higher rents and other expenses, while their paycheck stays the same.

"Of the families that come to Sacred Heart for food, most are working, oftentimes more than one full-time job. It's just that the numbers don't add up," said Mann.

Social service experts say the need this year, as every year, is great. To make this holiday special, it will take a community to step up where they're needed most.