Run back to childhood for a moment. Are you back at an early Christmas? Maybe tearing open your favorite present ever from Santa?

But what if that glorious, green inchworm with the yellow plastic saddle wasn't there to ride over the hardwood? (Insert your memory here.)

Parents know helping Santa with their children's wish lists is an expense on top of the monthly bills. And maybe this year, the money's not there.

That's where the Positive Matters Foundation's Family Holiday Wishes Program comes in.

In 2012, the nonprofit program gave out holiday dinners, warm clothing and children's presents to more than 150 Lincoln County families with a total of 634 children, director Cynthia Simonds said.

Requests are up this year, Simonds said. She's concerned about how donations will go after a low year for donations last year, she said.

One of the ways to help is to look for the program's “wish trees” around the county. They'll be in place by Black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving big shopping day, November 29, Simonds said.

In Wiscasset, wish trees are slated to appear at Ames Supply, the Wiscasset Community Center, the town office and the Lincoln County Courthouse.

Pick one of the pink or blue tags, each with a gift request for a girl or boy. Buy the gift, add the tag using the adhesives on the back, and leave it unwrapped in any of the program's drop boxes by December 13, preferably with the gift in a bag in case the tag comes off; or call the program's helpline at 207-350-7799 to have a volunteer collect your donation.

That's also the number to call to request the foundation's help for your family this holiday season.

As an alternative to the wish trees, email the program at familyholidaywishes@gmail.com for a list of gift requests; and financial donations can go to gifts or covering a family's holiday meal, which costs $40, Simonds said.

Money is also needed to meet remaining, unmet gift requests after all the presents are in, Simonds said. “At that point, it's a very fast, desperate feeling,” she said.

Checks to the Positive Matters Foundation may be mailed to The First, 223 Main St., Damariscotta, ME 04543. Checks' memo lines should specify how to use the money.