A total of 51 families participating in Catholic Charities Community Services’ Emergency Santa program will pick up their holiday goodies from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Nearly 400 families registered for the program and will pick up their gift items throughout December, according to a release.

The socially distanced, pre-scheduled drive-through pick-ups will take place at the Care Campus, 466 S. Bellview in Mesa.

Among those helping with the distribution are Catholic Charities President and CEO Paul Mulligan and members of the board of directors, the release states .

“Catholic Charities Community Services collected toys, books, clothing and hygiene items to ensure that struggling families will have gifts for their children this holiday season. Gifts are offered to qualifying families and those participating in Catholic Charities’ foster care, Westside Head Start and shelter and housing programs,” the release states.

Parents are being asked to pay it forward by volunteering one hour of their time per child to help the community.

More than 900 children and youth up to 17 years of age are expected to benefit this year from the program that has served more than 40,000 children since 1994.

Since 1996, Care Campus, which used to be known as Care Partnership, has been serving the city of Mesa as a grassroots, volunteer-run community center that provides tutoring assistance, after-school help with homework, job training and during the holiday season, and the Emergency Santa program, which relies solely on donations and volunteers, the release states.

For more information, go to catholiccharitiesaz.org.