It’s never too early to get into the Holiday Spirit. The Caltrain Holiday Train, thanks to the generous support of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, is back this year after a two-year hiatus. Northern California’s largest toy train will visit selected stations to collect toys for good little boys and girls Dec. 1 and 2.

Santa’s helpers can get a jump on the giving season by visiting the new Caltrain Holiday Train website: www.holiday-train.org. Individuals and institutions can support the event by making a donation on the website or sign up to be a volunteer.

The Holiday Train relies heavily on volunteers who string the thousands of lights that decorate the train and are rewarded by the number of toys that are donated, as well as seeing the delighted faces of children. The website features photos of past holiday trains, and as it gets closer to the big weekend, the train schedule for the two-day event.

Since its inception, community members have donated more than 45,000 toys to Caltrain’s Holiday Train to distribute to needy Bay Area families. As the lead sponsor, SVCF is helping raise financial support and 3,000 gifts for children that may not receive one otherwise. The special train helps generate these toy donations for the Salvation Army and the United States Marine Corps Reserves’ Toys for Tots Program. We encourage you to make the holidays brighter for needy Bay Area children by donating toys.

SVCF and Caltrain are working together to encourage communities along the route to participate in the spirit of giving that is at the heart of the event and the holiday season.