By the beginning of December, Miami Beach Firefighter Michelle Viera usually has a flurry of phone calls from residents willing to donate toys for the department's annual toy drive.

But not this year.

''I have only gotten one call so far,'' Viera, whose department hopes to give toys to 350 children.

Miami Beach Fire Department is one of dozens of organizations -- such as hospitals, police departments and charities -- that have started their traditional holiday toy drives.

But an uncertain economy has made for a slow start for many toy drives -- while organizers say they are fielding more requests than ever to fulfill holiday wish lists.

''Unfortunately, I think there are going to be a lot more people looking for toys than giving them,'' said Sunny Isles Beach Police Chief Fred Maas, whose department has only gotten a trickle of toys so far.

One of the largest and most recognizable toy drives, Marine Toys for Tots, has also been hit hard.

''We are hurting big time,'' said former Marine Louis Flagle, who is coordinating Toys for Tots in Monroe, Miami-Dade and parts of Broward. ``The warehouse is almost empty.''

Flagle said the charity kicked off its drive three weeks early in anticipation of a tough season.

Last year, about 50,000 children in South Florida got gifts from Toys for Tots. The charity collected more than 17 million toys across the country in 2007, said Bill Grein, vice president of the Marine Toys For Tots Foundation.

''We are very hopeful that the next few weeks will make up for a slow start,'' he said.

There are some promising signs of the holiday spirit.

Last month, Leslee Geller made a loop around the Miami Jewish Home & Hospital at Douglas Gardens' sprawling campus at 5200 NE Second Ave. Geller zoomed along in a Toymobile -- actually a decorated golf cart -- collecting toy trucks, baby dolls and games from elderly residents, many of whom are on fixed incomes.

The Miami facility is collecting toys through mid-December.

''Children need to know that there are people who care,'' Geller said.

Some groups rely on cash donations so they can fulfill wish lists.

The Police Officer Assistance Trust collects money at local malls -- such as Dadeland, Aventura and The Falls -- to buy toys for the children of fallen police officers.

Miami-Dade Police Sgt. David Greenwell, who heads the drive, said he knows people are struggling financially -- but said even a donation of a dollar or two will make a difference.

``If everyone gives a little, we can go a long way.''

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