U.S. Postal Service Kicks off Operation Santa in New York City

Macy's Santa Claus to Make Special Appearance

NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released today by the United States Postal Service:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111130/DC14593)  

What:
For nearly 100 years, the Postal Service's "Operation Santa" program has made holiday dreams come true for children in need. This year, the time-honored tradition kicks off at the famous James A. Farley Building Post Office, the location that receives the most letters to Santa in the country.
 
Who:
William Schnaars, District Manager, New York District, USPS
Robin Reibel, Vice President, Media Relations & Cause Marketing, Macy's
Pete Fontana, Chief Elf, Operations, Postal Holidays, USPS
PS-33 schoolchildren
 
When:
Thursday, Dec. 1 at 11 a.m.
 
Where:
James A. Farley Post Office, 481 Eighth Ave., New York City
Enter at the front entrance on Eighth Avenue at 33rd Street
 
Background:
Letters to Santa is a letter adoption program enabling members of the public and charitable organizations to respond to children's letters addressed to Santa Claus, the North Pole and other seasonal characters. New York City's program is the largest in the country, with tens of thousands of people adopting letters each year.

Operation Santa opens to the public on Dec. 1. Customers can adopt letters

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and on Thursdays until 7 p.m. Customers will be asked to provide valid identification and sign PS-Form 6012 or 6012-I before accessing the letters. Potential Saint Nicks will be subject to taking 10 letters maximum in an effort to have as many letters as possible viewed and answered.

Joining the celebration at the Post Office this year will be the Macy's Santa making a special appearance to celebrate the season and the time-old tradition of writing letters to Santa. This year, Macy's is hosting its 4th annual Believe Campaign, which donates $1, up to $1 million, to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for each letter to Santa mailed at the red Santa Mail letterboxes in Macy's stores.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world's mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.