SoKY Gives: Toys for Tots gives back to community

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- Presents are one thing that kids look forward to every holiday season. But for some, it’s harder to get those gifts than others. 

That’s where Toys for Tots steps in.

At the Toys for Tots North Pole workshop toys are organized according to gender and age. Wednesday at the second WNKY SoKY Gives event WNKY employees helped sort toys at the Toys for Tots building. 

“This is the place where all the toys come into once they’re collected from the collection bins across Warren County. So the Marines and other volunteers go out grab those toys, bring ‘em here, log ‘em in, then we start dividing them between our children by age and gender,” said Toys for Tots coordinator Janel Doyle. 

Toys for Tots is working around the clock to bring toys to children living in economically challenged households during a holiday season unlike any seen before.

“It’s going strong, it gets bigger and bigger every year. This local organization last year serviced almost 7,500 kids here in Warren County. We now have 10 counties we take care of,” said Marine veteran Malcom Cherry. 

The workshop is inside a local business.

This is an annual drive- since 1947. But this year, the need is bigger than ever. 

“Based on this point from last year, we are going to have a bigger need. And we know that’s because parents have lost their jobs and parents are struggling a little bit. So we’re prepared for that going out to the community and asking them for help. The community’s always helped us. We can never thank them enough and we could never do it without the community,” said Doyle. 

Toys for Tots is asking the community for any kind of toys from Legos to stuffed animals to books. You can donate here.