Helping others this holiday season

Less than two weeks until Christmas, but you can still help others in our community have a happy holiday. Many area businesses are sponsoring toy drives and giving trees. Here are a few:
The Phinney Neighborhood Association has three giving trees: one at the PNA at 6532 Phinney Ave. N., one at Umpqua Bank, 7120 Greenwood Ave. N., and another at the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.
The Salvation Army and Bartell Drugs have teamed up for their 10th annual “Toy ‘N’ Joy” drive. Choose a gift request tag from the display at any Bartell Drug Store, and donate a new, unwrapped toy  through Saturday, Dec. 14. Toys will be distributed to low-income children the week before Christmas through the Salvation Army’s “toy warehouses.” (Last year’s toy drive collected more than 5,400 toys.) Greenwood’s Bartell Drugs is at 100 N. 85th St.
Bluebird Microcreamery, 7400 Greenwood Ave. N., is collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. Bring in a donation by Sunday, Dec. 15, and receive a free scoop of ice cream.
Nearby, Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, 2400 NW 85th St., in Ballard is collecting new socks for people living on the streets. The church hopes to collect more than 2,500 pairs of socks, one pair for each person living on the street during the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness One Night Count in January 2012. Bring socks to the church from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
If you know of other businesses and organizations collecting toys, books and food for the needy, please put a note below in Comments, or email us and we’ll add it to this post.