As the door to Hikone’s Community Center swung open, a swarm of kids poured in to snag prime seats on the blue folding chairs facing a Christmas tree and a plush, well broken-in chair.

The room quickly filled with excited chatter and occasional cries from some of the youngest kids as a couple volunteers unloaded dozens of wrapped gifts from large trash bags and put them next to the tree.

It became chaotic, with adults trying to get the children to sing Christmas songs, and the kids growing louder as they waited for Santa to arrive. As Santa made his way into the party, 2-1/2 year old Zeinabou Toure zoomed past dozens of other children and latched onto his leg in a big hug.

A short while later, Zeinabou and the other kids who live in Hikone, one of Ann Arbor’s public housing sites, got two gifts each from Santa Claus. They're among the few gifts the kids may receive during the holidays since many of their parents are financially struggling, and the Community Action Network, which runs the community center, can only give so much.

Residents living with limited incomes say the gifts they get from various non-profit agencies help them offer their children a sense of normalcy and reduce some of the stress around the holiday.

And those in charge of gathering donations and getting them to families in need are aware of the good that can be done with a few gifts.

Each Washtenaw County agency has its own methods of collecting and distributing gifts, but the intent is universal.

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“For a lot of families we serve in public housing, we are Christmas,” said Joan Doughty, the executive director of CAN. “It’s such an anxiety producing time for our parents. They want to make sure their kids have Christmas, but it’s hard on them to fulfill that.

“There’s a lot of people in this community who want to help. I think even the stingiest person wants children of low-income families to have stuff for Christmas.”

The gifts

Erika Wallace slowly pushed a cart up the aisle, stopping to pick up and inspect toys. When she found one she thought one of her kids might like, she put it in the cart and moved on.

By the time she was done, she had one big and two small toys for each of her children, a couple stuffed animals, some clothes and a box of food. 

But Wallace wasn’t shopping at Meijer or Target. Instead, the Ann Arbor resident was at the Salvation Army of Washtenaw County’s annual “toy shop.”

“If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know what my kids would have gotten this year," she said. "Probably nothing. I’m just so thankful.”

That sentiment is being echoed across the Ann Arbor area this holiday season by a growing number of people who find themselves unable to pay the mortgage, keep the heat on, or put food on the table - much less get Christmas gifts for their children. 

That’s where a bevy of Washtenaw County agencies steps in. Starting in October, they gather wish lists, register families, seek out donors and start the holiday push. In a flurry of activity in December, gifts start arriving. 

On the wish lists? A lot of traditional trucks, soldiers, dolls, and games.

At the Salvation Army’s toy shop, tables were stocked with everything from Hula Hoops to Nerf basketball sets. Baseball caps sat next to alarm clocks. Boxes of Legos pushed up next to Star Wars light sabers. 

The toy shop also included big boxes of food, stuffed animals and oodles of clothes.

But video game consoles were nowhere to be seen.

That was also true at other agencies.

“We don’t get many wishes for that kind of item,” Doughty said. “If we do, we can change it on the wish list to something else. It also changes over time. We didn’t used to get any iPods donated, but now that you can get an iPod Shuffle for $25, or an MP3 player for $20, we’re seeing more of that kind of donation.”

At the Salvation Army, the piles are sorted by age group.

But the one age group without a lot of stuff: 13 year olds and up. Army officials say they don't know why, but not a lot of donations came in for people that age.

The Peace Neighborhood Center has had the same shortage of gifts for teenagers and has been unable to accommodate parents calling in for help, executive director Bonnie Billups said.

"We're dealing with demand being up and the amount we have is down, but people understand there is an economic crisis," Billups said.

At CAN, adults also get to request items.

Their wish lists include lots of basic items, such as blankets, sets of pots and pans, cleaning supplies and laundry detergent. Doughty said the number of people asking for basics has increased.

"We're seeing folks who had been donors now coming to us for help, and not just for the holidays," said Lisa Keefauver, director of crisis management and community services for Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County.

Agencies are seeing more requests for help and fewer donations. At CAN, donations are down by at least one-third, Doughty said. Many of the gifts Peace Neighborhood Center offers comes from Toys for Tots, which said it received far fewer donations this year. And demand has clearly been up: The center received 170 requests and had to close its wish list a week earlier than usual this year for its toys, food and clothing.

Another 45 families ended up on a waiting list and will be able to look through what's left on a walk-in basis on Christmas Eve.

Keefauver said her agency got a great response to its need for donations this year, thanks to Temple Beth Emeth. It gave thousands of dollars in gift cards and gifts, enough to cover all Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County's clients who made a request for holiday assistance.

Giving them out

Non-profit agencies and churches that gather gifts distribute them in a variety of ways.

Some drop off wrapped presents to families. Some let people come and pick out their gifts. Some hand over unwrapped gifts to parents. And some have Santa Claus hand them out at Christmas parties.

The Salvation Army, along with several other agencies, chooses to offer unwrapped items at its toy shop.

“It’s like a store. (The parents) actually get to shop," said Major John Williams, Corps officer and Washtenaw County coordinator. "It treats them with dignity. They can say they went shopping for the gifts for their children instead of saying it’s just from the Army." 

At the Salvation Army, people in need register in October and get a letter with a date and time to show up. They show ID, proof of the number of kids they have and then shop accompanied by a volunteer. 

The Peace Neighborhood Center takes call in requests starting Dec. 1. People are asked what their needs are, and the center determines how to best help, Billups said. Sometimes, callers say all they need is some extra food to get their family through, while others say they can't afford to get their children any gifts, he said. 

In the four days leading up to Christmas, the Peace Neighborhood Center turns into a distribution center with toys and pieces of clothing piled up on tables, floors, the stage - and anywhere else they can fit, Billups said. Boxes and baskets of food are also piled up in the center, which has to find space to keep turkeys and hams provided by Food Gatherers and private donations. Those eligible for help can "shop" through the items provided.

The best items the center can provide are gift cards, particularly for food or gas, organizers say.

"We have a lot of families who are coming into social services for the first time. You're trying to treat everyone with dignity and that dignity is the power of choice," Billups said.

At CAN, the gifts go to people the agency works with in the community centers, located in each of the city's public housing sites. That means organizers know the people who are getting the gifts.

CAN administrators set up a spreadsheet with requests, and sort donations as they come in. The piles of sweatpants, shirts, hoodies, bedding, toy trucks, Transformers and other gifts takes up several rooms at one of CAN’s community centers.

Organizers pick through the piles to find gifts labeled for the recipients. They record them on the spreadsheet, which they print and give to each parent with all the gifts.

Fran Lazette, director of the Green Baxter Community Center, said personally knowing the children who receive the gifts makes sorting a lot of fun. She smiled as she placed a pink unicorn hobby horse on the pile for one family.

“It’s just so exciting to see the presents and know how excited they are going to be to get them," she said. "That’s the best part of this.”

David Jesse covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534. Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at tinareed@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2535.