The Connecticut National Guard Foundation is helping military families with Operation E.L.F.

The event will support the financial stresses families may face either before, after or during a deployment.

Donations range from new toys to gift cards for groceries and gas.

Officials say the program is about making sure families know they are not forgotten.

"There's a lapse in appropriation and we have...service members, technicians who are not active duty. They're technicians who are furloughed," said Major General Francis J. Evon Jr., of the Connecticut National Guard. "Over 526 that are either definitely on their second cycle of not receiving pay and there's another group that's furloughed."

About 800 Connecticut National Guardsmen are currently deployed.