I know what you’re thinking.  Santa Claus does NOT exist.  You stopped believing some time around 7 or 8 years old because your older sibling or know-it-all friends told you how they found where mom and dad were hiding the presents.  But – what if I told you -- there is a “real life” Santa Claus.  And that he is changing lives and bringing happiness each and every December?  Would you want to know a little more about him and what he is doing?  Well, if you do… Here’s the story of a “real life” Santa Claus who is, without a doubt, an American hero we should all try to emulate. Cliff Archer does not live at the North Pole.  He doesn’t have any reindeer named Rudolph.  Heck, he doesn’t even have a red suit or white beard.  In fact, Cliff is a VP of construction for an agency that builds housing for the homeless.  He’s also a volunteer firefighter in his hometown, Levittown on Long Island.  On top of all that – he has a wife and two teenage daughters.  Seems like Cliff’s time is…

Sliced Pretty Thin!

Well… it is.  Yet every November he gears up to play Santa to families who would otherwise have nothing to show for the holiday season but disappointment.  He's been answering kids' pleas every year since 1988 when he was inspired by a newspaper article about the United States Postal Service's "Letters to Santa" program.  Each year hundreds of thousands of appeals pour into the cavernous main post office in Manhattan, and Cliff doesn't shy away from even the most heartbreaking.  "My parents were a cop and a nurse, and we had very little money when I was growing up," he says, with characteristic directness. "They were poor but honest, and they instilled in me the importance of always trying to help someone less fortunate. When I saw that article, I realized that anything I could do to make the holidays less bleak for someone having a hard time was worthwhile."  So, for the past 19 years Cliff has responded to anywhere from 6 to 10 "Dear Santa" letters a year. He's got his system down pat. A few days after Thanksgiving, he picks up the letters. The next four weeks are a whirlwind of rounding up gifts. "Then comes what we refer to as 'D-Day,' when Joey, Mildred, and I make our big run."  That would be Joey Lindicy and Mildred Lizardi, Cliff's co-workers at the New York State Housing Finance Agency -- his passion for "Project Santa" prompted them to join the cause.  Thanks to donations from other colleagues and friends, by mid-December, Cliff's office is crammed with toys and clothes; last year he raised $3,000 to fill in the blanks on the various wish lists. "Some kids ask for a computer, but in the end they're always thrilled with simple things like board games," he says. "In all this time, I've never seen a child unhappy with his gifts."  As Christmas approaches, Cliff takes the donations home and adds them to the sizable stash of toys amassed by his wife, Joanne, who buys them on sale throughout the year. She and their two teenage daughters, Valerie, 16, and Danielle, 13, help sort, label, and pack everything. "We make sure that every child gets several toys and some clothes," he says. "And we always give the parents an envelope with at least $100 cash."

Who Would Steal From Santa Claus And A Child In Need?

Cliff learned early on that it was best to hand over the gifts in person. "Once I left a package for a kid with the building superintendent because the family wasn't home, and I later found out that the super sold it," he says.  Now he aims for letters that include phone numbers, so Mildred -- who also speaks Spanish -- can call and talk to a parent about whether there are other kids living in the household who need gifts too, and then coordinate the drop-off. Often parents can't believe someone would answer their children's letters. "Mildred is excellent at persuading them," Cliff says. "She's so warm and sweet -- a mom of three herself."  Shortly before Christmas, Cliff and Joey map out the most efficient route and load everything up for delivery. At times, he finds himself wishing for a simple means of entry, like a chimney. "Now and then we get a family on the 20th floor of a building in the projects with a broken elevator," he says. "You should see the three of us chugging up the stairs with all the stuff."  The bags always include groceries for a complete Christmas dinner -- a ham or a turkey plus all the trimmings -- bought with Cliff's own money. "When I started doing this, I noticed there usually wasn't much food in these apartments," he says.  After nearly two decades, the best part of being Santa is the same as it was in the beginning: seeing the looks on the kids' faces. "When Mildred calls, she specifically asks the parents to please keep the fact that we're coming a surprise," he says. "Then they see this 6-foot-5 man walk in with tons of bundles. The kids can't believe it's all for them. The mothers often have tears streaming down their faces, and they give us their blessings. That's when I know that all the work and running around is absolutely worth it."  Can you imagine if everyone had Cliff’s attitude and helped out a few kids every holiday season?  Imagine how much happiness that would bring to so many – even if just for that day.