These are tight times for Tucson charities, with the Salvation Army saying it has only collected about 1% of the toys it thinks it will need. Meanwhile, there are a lot of empty boxes at the Toys for Tots warehouse. Both charities told Fox 11 News it could be a rough Christmas.

It’s a catch-22 for both – a hurting economy lowering donations and, at the same time, dramatically increasing demand. The shelves at the local department stores are stocked with toys, and the goal for the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots is to get them off the racks and into their donation boxes.

“Last year at this time we had about 10,000 toys here in the warehouse, and we’re about half that this year,” says U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Gunnery Sergeant and Toys for Tots Coordinator Scott Gibson. The situation at the Salvation Army isn’t any better. “Well it’s very slow coming in right now,” says Major Peter Clack. “We’re at about 250 toys – about 1% of what we need.”

Officials with both organizations admit they have a steep hill to climb over the next three weeks. “Our whole goal for the year is to put a smile on every child’s face,” says Gibson. “Whereas last year we only had 300 for the whole season, we’re only to December 2^nd and we’re already at 641 single families.”

The charities are now banking on something called sacrificial giving, when people essentially pass on something for themselves, only to buy for someone else. That’s what Josephine Mortell is planning to do. “Because people are more needy now than ever, and I think the fact that they’re out of work and losing their homes, I think they need more help,” she says.

David McPherson agrees. “We’re trying to cut back on other things than charitable donations,” he says. Toys for Tots and the Salvation Army hope others follow their lead. “Our goal is 60,000 toys,” says Gibson.

The Salvation Army’s goal is 25,000, but they’re requesting people also donate clothes for infants and tweens, as well as family-friendly movies. In the meantime, the smell of optimism is in the air, even as the stench of recession lingers over the holiday season.

“It is a lot slower,” says Clack, “but I have faith to believe this community will come up with the goods in the end.” Normally the Salvation Army says it learns about families in need from schools, but this year they are holding an open registration, starting Monday.

More information on the Salvation Army is available by clicking here. More information on Toys for Tots is available by clicking here.