FERRIDAY — While the volunteers for Concordia Christmas Charity Fund weren’t wearing pointy shoes Friday, they helped spread just as much joy as Santa’s little helpers.

More than 200 bags were packed with flour, sugar, ham and other Christmas meal essentials Friday afternoon at Ferriday High School’s cafeteria.

The fund, sponsored by the Ferriday Chamber of Commerce, provides less-fortunate families in the parish with a bag of groceries and at least one toy for families with children.

The bags contain enough essentials necessary to make two or three meals.

Nerf guns, DivaStarz dolls and other toys were organized and sorted for children ages 1 through 11.

Director Rena Pitts said the organization started in the late 1980s and that she’s worked hard to smooth out all the kinks from the system each year.

With spreadsheets labeled and application forms numbered, Pitts said all has gone according to plan this year.

“I have a great group of volunteers, some have helped for at least 20 years, some are five-year veterans and several teenagers are involved because they like to help put back into their community,” Pitts said. “Everything has gone really well this year.”

Cailyn Glenn, a 10th grader at Ferriday High School, is in his second year of packing bags for the fund and said he likes being able to give back to the community.

“I’m fortunate enough to have all this stuff, so I want to make sure that other people can have this stuff to,” Glenn said. “It means a lot because some of these people don’t have a lot, and I know it makes them feel special when they get it.”

Genna Hopkins, who works at Concordia Bank in Ferriday, has volunteered with the fund for more than 20 years and said the reason behind the charity is simple.

“Children at Christmas, that’s what this is all about,” Hopkins said. “It’s always a good feeling to do something for the community.”

Families that applied for the fund will pick up their bags of goodies today from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Pitts said any food or toys that aren’t picked up today will be taken to the Ferriday Police Department for pick up.

Anything not picked up by Monday afternoon will be given to other needy families.