Watch Bergen PBA Santa's Response Team In Action

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ - Police departments from across Bergen County have once again banded together to help children in need this holiday season.

On Wednesday, officers from nearly 60 departments gathered at Closter Volunteer Fire Department to unload, sort and wrap gifts they’d collected as part of Bergen County PBA holiday drive in their communities.

Also known as Santa’s Response Team (SRT), the effort has helped bring some much-needed hope during the holiday season to children at hospitals, from less than fortunate families or have a parent in the military.

The drive was launched 31 years ago by retired Closter Police Sgt. Don Nicoletti with seven colleagues. Over the years, residents and businesses in Bergen County have generously given thousands of toys and monetary donations to the effort.

Officers from Northern Valley PBA Local 233 said, "We wish we had the rights words for everyone who makes the toy drive possible. The SRT grows every year. From the bottom of our hearts we thank each and every person who helped in some way."

On Wednesday, the firehouse was overflowing with all kinds of toys, ranging from board games to dolls to stuffed animals to bikes and video games.

After all of the toys were separated by gender and age, they were packed into bags and loaded into the caravan of police vans, trucks, minivans and cars to be delivered to the hospitals and shelters. Bags of toys were also set aside to be distributed among military families.

"The final trip to Hackensack Hospital really brings it all together at the end for the true spirit of the Holiday Season," Fair Lawn police said.