For 22 years, Blue Santa has helped make Christmas brighter for families throughout Kendall County. The program began as Brown Santa, organized solely by the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office. A few years later, the Boerne Police Department joined the effort and Blue Santa was born. Today, the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, Boerne PD, Boerne FD and Fair Oaks Ranch PD work together alongside the Boerne ISD and numerous volunteer organizations — many of which return year after year.

Preparations begin each October. Families applying for Blue Santa provide their children’s ages and wish lists, which help volunteers organize donations and use monetary gifts to purchase items children are hoping to receive. Toys and gift cards collected from across the county are brought to “Santa’s Workshop,” located at the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office Training Center. There, volunteers spend countless hours sorting donations and organizing gifts by family.

One important detail is intentional: the gifts remain unwrapped. Instead, they are packed into “Santa Sacks” — heavy-duty black contractor bags — for parents to take home and wrap themselves. This allows parents to remain part of the giving experience and the excitement of creating Christmas morning for their children.

Typically held the Saturday before Christmas, distribution day is much more than simply picking up gifts. Local company Elite Lighting covers the Sheriff’s Office in beautiful blue Christmas lights and festive figures. Volunteers and community organizations line the front of the building with food, treats and activities. Our own Cordillera Cares team joins the festivities with goodies for families, while a Boerne fire truck, a DJ, and Santa and Mrs. Claus add to the celebration.

All the while, an impressive operation is happening behind the scenes. As each family’s application number is called, volunteers locate their Santa Sacks and deliver them directly to their vehicle. It is a well-oiled machine, but when you are there, that isn’t what you notice. You notice the lights. The music. The children. The volunteers who keep coming back. And the first responders and community members who have spent months making one special night possible.

After 22 years, Blue Santa has become more than a holiday assistance program. It is a Kendall County Christmas tradition — and a beautiful example of what can happen when an entire community shows up for its neighbors. That is the magic of Blue Santa.

Our Community. Their Christmas.

For the fifth consecutive year, Cordillera Cares is proud to partner with Blue Santa by providing a Christmas stocking for every one of those children, each thoughtfully filled with fun, family-friendly items for the children and their families, made possible by the generous donations of our members and staff. We’ve also been deeply touched and inspired by the many residents and employees who have volunteered their time to shop for, stuff, and distribute stockings during the Blue Santa event. 

Now, we’re gearing up for another Christmas — and we need your help! Cordillera Cares is now accepting donations to sponsor Christmas stockings for this year’s Blue Santa. Each stocking will be filled with at least $25 worth of toys, socks, water bottles, games and other fun surprises. Join us on December 2 from 5:00 to 7:00pm where we will be accepting donations during our annual Ugly Sweater Gold Rush at the Club!

This is Cordillera Cares’ largest philanthropic project of the year, and we’re excited to once again experience the joy, generosity and camaraderie that come with shopping, sponsoring, stuffing, and supporting the incredible children of Kendall County. 

Thank you for helping us make the holiday season a little brighter for children who need it most. Your generosity truly makes a difference!