Medford, Ore — Every year Toys For Tots helps thousands of children who may not have Christmas without help. This year was no different, but the need seems to be growing.
Amanda Meeds stood in line for hours, but there are no ‘Black Friday’ deals.
Instead Meeds, and hundreds of other moms, dads and guardians were at the distribution for Jackson County Toys For Tots.
“I have 4 kids, and I’m recently divorced so I’m a single mom and I needed Christmas Presents,” said Meeds.
Toys For Tots collected toys all year. The event serves over 2000 Jackson County children.
“We help families who might have fallen through the cracks, who might not qualify financially, who are living paycheck to paycheck, who are just in need and they’re just in need and willing to stand in line for several hours to have Christmas for their children,” said Kira Zavala, Toys for Tots Coordinator.
For Meeds it’s a blessing.
“It means everything, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to do Christmas,” she said.
Each child gets a toy and a stuffed animal, but there are more and more families like Meeds’, willing to stand in the cold to provide something they otherwise couldn’t afford.
“With me, with three kids with autism, it’s very hard to get anywhere, you either have to choose to keep yourself below the poverty line, or struggle in the middle,” said Meeds.
And it’s the kindness of donors, one toy at a time, that brings joy to children like hers.
“I think every kid deserves to have a fun Christmas, and this helps that,” she said.
While distribution is wrapping up, Toys For Tots says they still need donations, mainly for ages 0 to 2 and 10 to 17.
If you’d like to drop off a new toy, in it’s original box, you can still do so at Crater Lake Ford on Medford’s Biddle Road.
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