In anticipation that demand this year will be double last year's, a coalition of volunteers got busy Monday stocking shelves for the Candy Cane Corner holiday store, two weeks ahead of schedule.

The downtown Salt Lake store, which has been a holiday shopping center of sorts for area homeless and otherwise economically dispossessed families for 14 years, will open after Thanksgiving.

"We're setting things up and asking for donations early this year, in hopes of having the shelves full when the families are doing their pre-holiday shopping," said Celeste Eggert, development director at The Road Home emergency shelter and transitional-housing agency.

"Most years, we'll get the bulk of the donations come in a day or two before Christmas," she said. "We're very grateful, and we store things until the following year."

But with 31 families at the main shelter site, "that means people are sleeping in the lobby again." And with 40 families already housed in the just opened overflow site in Midvale, "we're thinking we'll easily double the 1,200 families who came here last year and that we should put out the call for donations to be made as soon as possible."

Along with an early donation drive, The Road Home and the YWCA, the two agencies organizing the store, have recruited their fellow civic servant Volunteers of America to help out.

"We're not only glad to do it, from the trends we're seeing at our place, there's not only a lot more need, we're seeing a lot more families doing poorly because of the poor economy," said community-outreach director Michelle Templin-Polasek.

The goal this year again is to make sure that no children have to go without, said YWCA coordinator Beth Ehrhardt. The store was started in 1994 as a service to moms and children housed at the nonprofit agency due to domestic violence.

Volunteers are needed at the store, which is located in the former America First Title Building, 330 East 400 South (Blair Street), and donated by Ray Whitney. In addition, specific donations needed are new, unwrapped toys, clothing, shoes and boots.

"We particularly need donation gifts for teens," Ehrhardt said, noting that given the overall anti-violence approach of the YWCA, toys and games touting war or with violent overtones are not wanted.

Also needed are personal-care items, blankets and household items such as kitchen utensils and appliances. Donations of wrapping paper, ribbon, tape and cash are also needed, she said.

"No gift is too small," Eggert said. "Every bit helps, and even just a single toy can make all the difference to a child who might otherwise go without."

Donations are being accepted at the store from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays and Sundays noon to 5 p.m.

The Road Home, 210 S. Rio Grande St. (455 West), is also a drop-off site.

A complete Candy Cane Store wish list can be found at www.ywca.com or www.theroadhome.org or www.voaut.org.

e-mail: jthalman@desnews.com