Christmas is coming to kids across Fresno County and on Tuesday, Toys for Tots helpers loaded up boxes of toys headed for their destinations.
"It's going to mean a lot because most of the children in our neighborhood, they really don't have a Christmas. So one toy will mean ten toys to those children," said Velma Jenkins, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.
Members of the church were excited to pick up nearly 300 gifts. They said every toy will be a blessing to a child and a family. "We say thank you and without them, it wouldn't be Christmas," said Jenkins.
This year, Toys for Tots organizers say thanks to the community, they are close to reaching their goal of 85,000 toys and putting a present under every tree.
They said they need just under 11-thousand toys to make their goal a reality. "These few days its crunch time and we are down to the wire and we are so close," said William Cardinal, Marine Corps League.
The toy drive is wrapping up, but there are still empty donation boxes at businesses across the county. Boxes that organizers hope will come in to the warehouse full of toys.
"Just under 11,000 short, that's unacceptable. we need to get together as community and make sure these kids are take care of," said Ryan Frazier, 500 Club Casino.
Toys for Tots organizers said every donation, whether cash or toys, will go a long way to making a holiday brighter. "Every child deserves a Christmas and for the first time in a number of years, it looks like the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps League and Toys for Tots in Fresno County is able to provide every toy that got asked for. I'm so close," said Cardinal.
It has been years since Toys for Tots of Fresno county reached their goal. This year, organizers hope you will help grant their Christmas wish so they can help other kids in Fresno County.
Toys for Tots organizers will be collecting donation boxes in the next couple days. You can make donations at Sierra Vista Mall up until Christmas Day.
