The two shipping containers Trenton Santa Train works from today, beside a red barn style shed

Help us build a permanent home for the Trenton Santa Train

Our vision: A permanent Community Resource & Family Support Center

Our Future: Community Resource & Family Support Center

Since Trenton Santa Train began in 2020, our goal has been to help children and families in Dade County who are experiencing financial hardship and other needs.

What began as a small effort to help 20 children has grown into a community mission. Our Christmas distribution and school backpack program continue while we work toward a permanent place to call home.

Over the years, we have seen the number of families needing assistance grow. In 2025, Trenton Santa Train provided Christmas assistance to 117 families with 246 children, along with providing Back-to-School assistance and other essential needs.

We believe our community needs more than seasonal assistance. We are working toward a long-term vision of creating a permanent Trenton Santa Train Community Resource & Family Support Center.

2020: Trenton Santa Train began helping Dade County families
117: families received Christmas assistance in 2025
246: children received Christmas assistance in 2025

A potential property for our permanent home

We have identified a potential property in our community that could become our permanent home. We are seeking financial contributions, grants, corporate partners, and community supporters to help make this possible.

We are working to determine what will be needed to make the center possible, including:

Property
Building requirements
Food-storage needs
Funding
Partnerships
Community resources

We are currently exploring funding opportunities and potential partnerships that could help make this vision a reality.

We do not have a permanent facility secured at this time, but we are taking the necessary steps to move this vision forward.

Our current space limits what we can do

After the church building where we operated was sold, Trenton Santa Train continued serving families from two shipping containers. While we are grateful for what we have been able to accomplish with the resources available to us, our current space limits our ability to safely store food and supplies, serve families, coordinate volunteers, and expand our programs.

A permanent center would allow us to build on what we have already started and provide a more consistent place for families to access assistance throughout the year.

Our goal is simple: to provide hope, support, and essential resources to children and families in Dade County, and to be a hand up, not just a handout.

We will share updates as this project develops.

A permanent place to find help and move forward

Our vision is to create a permanent place where children, families, and individuals in our community can find practical help, resources, encouragement, and connections to programs that can help them move forward.

The center could provide space for:

Year-round food distribution
Mom's ClosetDiapers, formula, baby supplies, clothing, hygiene items, and other family necessities
Christmas assistance
Back-to-School assistance
Essential-needs assistance
Family assistance and resource connections
GED classes
Job-readiness and workforce resources
Community classes and educational opportunities
Community meetings and support groups
Volunteer activities and community service

Programs will be developed and expanded based on the needs of our community and the resources available.

Practical support for families

We want the center to be more than a place where people come to receive supplies.

Our goal is to meet people where they are, provide practical support, connect them with resources, and empower them to work toward their own goals.

We want people to leave with more than what they came for. We want them to leave knowing there are people and resources available to help them move forward.

Partner with the Trenton Santa Train

Businesses, foundations, churches, civic organizations, and individuals can help us serve Dade County children and families. Your support can sustain our Christmas and school supply programs and help secure a permanent home for services throughout the year.

We welcome financial contributions, foundation grants, donations of toys, clothing, school supplies and food, volunteer teams, and collaborative community projects.

To discuss a grant, a corporate gift, or support for the permanent home, email debbie@trentonsantatrain.org or call 423-646-4414.

Help secure a permanent home

Individuals, businesses, foundations, churches, and community organizations can contribute to the campaign or contact us to discuss a partnership.

Call 423-646-4414 or email us to discuss how you can help.

Email us Donate to the campaign