TACOMA, Wash. — The toy drive is just beginning at Toys for Tots headquarters in Tacoma, and the donations are starting to trickle in. But volunteers say the clock is ticking as they try to get as many donations as possible in time to get them to families and kids in need.
“We’re able to put about 50,000 toys out each year,” said Ed Troyer, a Pierce County Sheriff’s spokesman who volunteers with the organization. “We’ll hopefully reach that number again this year, or even exceed it, because we know the need is there.”
A lot of those donations go to soldiers and former soldiers from Joint Base Lewis McChord, who are trying to get by on a low income.
‘We’re seeing a lot of soldiers that are separated from active service and have stayed in our area,” said volunteer George Hight. “Yes, we’re seeing a need from them.”
The donation drive also focuses on teenagers, who usually want more adult gifts that are often overlooked by donors focused on young children.
“We need toys for the teen boys and teen girls and the toddlers,” said Hight. “That’s the spot that we always are short in.”
You can find donation sites on the Toys for Tots website, www.toysfortots.org.
KIRO
