18 December 2010

The Salvation Army hopes to brighten the lives of children during the annual King County Toy ‘n’ Joy Event. Unfortunately, there is an increase in client need, and the toys collected are still not enough. This year, 5,300 families applied for free toys, a 15% increase from last year. However, donations remain flat. Donations for all ages are still needed (infant to age 17), with a special need for kids age 10-12 (toys) and teens 13-17 (gift cards).

Donations of new toys can be brought to Qwest Exhibition Center through Tuesday, December 21, at 3:00 p.m. Drop off at Qwest Event Center, near the WaMu Theater entrance at 800 Occidental Avenue. (Look for the truck, signs, and volunteers.)

For several decades, The Salvation Army staff and hundreds of volunteers have transformed Toy ‘n’ Joy locations into a giant toy store, with gifts organized by age. On the designated “shopping day,” registered parents walk through with a personal shopper and select gifts for their children. “There is something special about seeing the look of joy on a child’s face on Christmas morning,” said Major Kathy Sargent of the White Center Corps, coordinator of the Qwest Center distribution. “We want to be sure that not one parent misses out on that.” There are six Toy ‘n’ Joy events throughout King County this year, with the largest event at Qwest Exhibition Center.

The new toys have been collected for the past month throughout King County. Bartell Drugs Stores and Fred Meyer Stores have both led toy drives in local stores, where employees and shoppers have filled countless bins with new toys. Additionally, generous members of local companies and families have held private toy drives to support the program. All toys collected have been inventoried by The Salvation Army staff and will be distributed to needy families in the King County community. State and Federal guidelines determine the level of income that qualifies a family for the program.

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About The Salvation Army 

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to http://www.salvationarmynw.org.