Ogden • This year, it's been a difficult Christmas season for Corrie Hout.

For the past 10 years, she's organized a drive to gather toys, jackets, gloves and hats for the children of migrant or seasonal farm workers who often don't have enough money to pay for such items.

This year, Hout said she got requests from almost 100 families in need — but only received enough donations to help 45 families.

Hout, program manager of the Utah Farm Worker Program, said the sagging economy has hurt donations.

"That's the biggest problem," she said. "People who were giving before they lost their jobs or they're afraid they're going to lose their jobs find it hard to justify buying a new toy when they might not be able to put food on the table for their own kids."

She said it's been unusually stressful because other charitable groups in the area have also been taking on more needs.

"I'm a little stressed about helping 97 families," Hout said. It only took me and another person a half-hour to sort out the toys this year."

On a cold Thursday night at a clubhouse inside a trailer park, Hout sat at a card table with her 5-month-old baby in one arm while she scrolled through her laptop to see how many families were checking in to pick up Christmas items.

To her left, about five tables with small toys sat waiting for workers to show up while on nearby couches, there were clothes for them to take.

Jason Chandler, a case manager with the Utah Farm Worker Program, helped people fill up blue bags and then carried items to their cars.

One of them was Sara Gean, who arrived from Mexico two months ago and works about 30 hours a week sorting onions in Syracuse.

But the 32-year-old said some weeks the work is slow and that without the donations, she wouldn't be able to give any of her five children a toy.

"It's a very difficult time," she said in Spanish. "Things are slow right now, and it's hard enough to put enough food on the table to eat. Sometimes work slows down to only two hours a day."

At the clubhouse, she picked up some clothes for the children as well as a few small toys — happy that she'd be able to give them something for Christmas.

Hout said farm workers are generally grateful people, even if they don't get anything.

"Most farm workers are used to having nothing," Hout said. "And if they don't get anything, they'll make tamales and celebrate with their families."

Hout said she's hopeful, however, that more donations of toys, jackets, hats or gloves will trickle in to help with the pressing need of migrant and seasonal farm workers throughout the state.

"We used to be able to be sure the workers could leave here with one big toy and one small toy," Hout said. "This time, we can only give them one toy.

dmontero@sltrib.com Twitter: @davemontero —

How to help

P To donate toys or clothes, contact Corrie Hout at 801-394-9774. Toys can be dropped off at 1140 36th St., Suite 150, Ogden. —

Season of giving

P Each Sunday through Christmas, The Salt Lake Tribune is profiling giving efforts in communities across the state. To view stories in the series, a running list of opportunities to give and tips on making wise donations, visit www.sltrib.com/giving.