21 December 2012

Every year, The Salvation Army receives generous toy donations from members of the community - which are then distributed to our neighbors who otherwise may not have gifts under the tree. We serve as a conduit, literally connecting the generosity from some to the needs to others.

Every gift is appreciated and put to good use - from the smallest stocking stuffer to the most expensive video game console. We are continually impressed by the generosity of our community.

And, sometimes, we are overwhelmed by a donation. One of this year's most surprising and impressive donations came from an anonymous donor in Seattle. We don't know his name, but we know where he works...Amazon.com. A representative from Amazon.com called The Salvation Army Divisional office to alert us to the donation. He told us that an executive at the company was personally donating several bikes and helmets. With the help of local bike company Diamondback, the bikes were purchased at wholesale prices. A few weeks later, The Salvation Army received 70 bikes and helmets, for boys and girls of various ages.

To further the generosity of this gift, Amazon.com and Diamondback sent teams of employees to our warehouse to assemble the bikes - each of them volunteered personal time for the project. Each bike was expertly assembled and quality-checked by a professional, ensuring the safety of the kids who would receive them.

The bikes were distributed to parents at the annual Salvation Army Toy & Joy event. Each of the 70 parents was individually selected and surprised with a bike. Click here to see photos of some of the parents with their bikes, as well as photos of the bike assembly.

Thank you to all who donated toys this year. And a special thank you to the anonymous donor for this generous bike donation.