For 20 years, Menifee Santa’s Workshop has quietly done something remarkable. Every holiday season, it transforms donated toys, gifts, and supplies into Christmas magic for thousands of local children in need.
Debbi told me, “Over the past 20 years, we have serviced over 20,000 Children. This is all done with the help of volunteers. Every year, we need about 250 Community members to help.”
Last Christmas, the Santa’s Workshop community partners and volunteers served over 1,900 families who were in need during the holidays. Unfortunately, this number is not surprising, as Debbi explained,
“The children and families are selected through an application process and are served through the Menifee Community Cupboard.” This is a partner Non-Profit that helps Santa’s Workshop select and assess the need for toys, jackets, books, and other essential holiday items for families in need.
Now, the organization is calling on the public and Menifee residents for help with something a little more practical: storage space.
For just over a decade, Santa’s Workshop has used an empty storage building at no cost to the non-profit organization.
Today, they need to secure a new location by late May, as the building will be remodeled and reopened soon, leaving no space for the toys during the year.
Unfortunately, the children who depend on this program would feel it most if it were disrupted by a storage issue.
What Is Menifee Santa’s Workshop?
Menifee Santa’s Workshop is a local nonprofit dedicated to providing traditional Christmas celebrations for low-income families in the Menifee area.
Debbi told me, “We put out boxes for toy collection to about 125 businesses in the city and all the schools during the holidays. This is all done with all the volunteers. She continued, “Every year, we need about 250 Community members to help. It is a lot of work, and we couldn’t do it without our local partners and volunteers.”
Each year, the organization collects donations of unwrapped toys, sports equipment, and other gifts, then distributes them to children who might otherwise go without during the holiday season.
It’s a grassroots effort in the truest sense. Volunteers sort donations, local businesses open their doors as drop-off points, and community partners help spread the word.
The result? Thousands of kids wake up on Christmas morning with something new, toys, and other much-needed items like books, jackets, puzzles, and possibly even a new bike.
The organization has grown steadily over two decades, earning a reputation as one of Menifee’s most beloved holiday programs.
Organizational Sponsors and Partners
This is not a complete or comprehensive list, but it does show how much community involvement goes into the annual event each year.
List of Partners:
- Cal Fire Spark of Love
- Menifee Police Department
- Rotary Club of Menifee
- Menifee Valley Lions Club
- US Bank
- Menifee Bikes
- The Oasis
- The Community Cupboard
- Menifee Interfaith
- Lake Menifee Women’s Club
- Evans Brown
- LDS Church Missionary
- Black Sheep Ministry
- Sun City Curzers… Just to name a few. So many to list.
For the most current and complete list of organizational sponsors and partners, visit the organization’s official social media page at @menifeesantasworkshop on Instagram, where updates are posted regularly throughout the season.
How Can Residents Get Involved?
The good news is that there are several ways Menifee residents can step up and support the cause. Whether that’s offering a helping hand, donating, or solving the storage problem directly.
Offer Storage Space
This is the most pressing need right now. If you have access to an available warehouse, commercial unit, or any clean, dry storage space in or around Menifee, the organization wants to hear from you.
Even a temporary solution during the holiday season could make a significant difference in how smoothly operations run this year.
Donate Toys and Supplies
Unwrapped toys and sports equipment are always welcome. Drop-off locations and deadlines are shared regularly on the organization’s social media pages.
Volunteer Your Time
There’s no shortage of tasks that need extra hands, from sorting donations to helping with event setup and distribution. Volunteers are the backbone of this organization, and new faces are always welcome.
Spread the Word
Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is share. Whether it’s telling a neighbor, posting on a local Facebook group, or tagging a friend who might have storage space to offer, raising awareness keeps the momentum going.
A Program Worth Protecting
Twenty years is a long time to keep something going. It takes consistency, community trust, and a steady stream of people who believe that every child deserves a little joy at Christmas. Menifee Santa’s Workshop has earned all three.
But programs like this don’t run on goodwill alone. They need logistics, resources, and yes… somewhere to store the donations that make it all possible.
Solving the storage challenge is one of the clearest ways residents can help ensure the workshop hits the ground running when the holiday season arrives.
If you can help with storage space or want to learn more about getting involved, reach out to Menifee Santa’s Workshop directly by using the information below.
Debbi Manion Chair: 951-206-2722
Email: illkahy@gmail.com
