It may be time for Thanksgiving, but the volunteers of Our Neighbor’s Child (ONC) are already gearing up for their massive holiday undertaking. For the 18th year, this nonprofit group of local residents will bring Christmas joy to hundreds of local families in need.

Last year, they provided new toys and clothing for 757 families in Centreville, Chantilly, Clifton and west of Fair Oaks mall. And with packaging help from SGA students at Centreville and Westfield high schools, they also distributed nearly 20,000 homebaked cookies.

But with the downturn in the economy, more people need help this year, so the demand is higher, and ONC is scrambling to meet it — but it needs the community’s help.

"We've been inundated with families," said ONC Executive Director Kelly Lavin. "We've received nearly 700 referrals — more than we've ever had by this point — and the race has been on to get all the families contacted and the children's wishes ready to go on the Giving Trees before Nov 25."

There are lots of ways area residents can help, starting with two events happening Saturday, Dec. 5. One is at Stone Middle School; the other is at Wal-Mart in the Fair Lakes Shopping Center.

For the second year in a row, Stone Middle is participating in Panther Pick-up Day. Students distribute fliers in their communities, asking for donations of brand-new toys, books, games and new or like-new clothing. Parents will then drive them to homes to pick it up and bring it back to school, where parents and students will sort, box and help load it into a truck to take to a clothing "store" where recipients, ages 12-18, may select items for themselves. Drop-off donations will also be accepted at the school from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Inside the Wal-Mart will be a Giving Tree decorated with paper ornaments containing the age and sex of a child and the item he or she wants for Christmas. Residents may then purchase it and place it, unwrapped, in the big, ONC gift box that will be outside the front of the store between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. And they may fulfill as many children’s wishes this way as they’d like.

There’s also an especially urgent need this year for winter coats, blankets and other warm clothing. Specific information (sizes, etc.) will be available by Thanksgiving. To help, contact Denise McInerney, ONC clothing coordinator, at oncdenise@aol.com.

Several local churches and schools will have Giving Trees, for others wishing to bring in gifts for the families. And Jobin Realty has offered all its local offices as drop-off points for gifts. Kathy Bonzano is coordinating this effort and may be reached at brokerkath@aol.com.

Packaging Day is Thursday, Dec. 17, when hundreds of people will be needed to help match up each item to the wish list provided by the recipient parents for their children. Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact Nicole Rogers at mnrogers123@msn.com.

Delivery Day will be Sunday, Dec. 20, from 1-4 p.m. Interested volunteers should contact Lucy Richter at relest8lucy@aol.com. In addition, general volunteer questions may be sent to ONCVolunteer@gmail.com.

Financial donations are also welcome and appreciated. Either contact Karen Moore at kk1mo@aol.com or send checks payable to Our Neighbor’s Child to P.O. Box 276, Centreville, VA 20120. For more information, see the group’s Web site at www.ourneighborschild.org.