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With less than two months before the annual Day of Giving, registration is underway for Operation Happiness.

The annual program distributes food baskets and coats to families in Clark County ahead of Christmas.

COVID-19, though, is forcing some changes to the overall process this year.

Clark County Community Services Executive Director Debbie Fatkin said registration will only be done over the telephone this year. Volunteers are answering the phones at 737-3636 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday until 4 p.m. Nov. 20.

Those volunteers, she said, will walk people through the registration process for food and coats.

The registration deadline is absolute, she said.

“If you do not register before 4 p.m. Nov. 20, you will not receive a Christmas box or coats,” Fatkin said in an email.

Operation Happiness typically provides food and coats to 1,000 or more families in the county

In past years, the Day of Giving has been in a local church and families walked through, picked up their coats and food and returned to their vehicles.

Because of this year’s health concerns, the Day of Giving will be a drive-through event at the Clark County school bus garage parking lot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 22.

Families can request that their food be delivered, she said, if they are afraid of contracting the virus or don’t have transportation. Delivery can be requested when they call to register, she said.

Delivery to individual homes will be Dec. 22, followed on Dec. 23 to Beverly White Towers, Brooks Place, Phoenix House and the Kerr Building, Fatkin said.

To choose their coats, families will need to bring their registration slip from the Day of Giving to C.C.’s Closet