Christmas Toy Connection provides gifts to area children
Children’s Aid Society event provides for families in need
Christmas is a little brighter this year for more than 2,100 Charles County children, courtesy of the Children’s Aid Society and its Christmas Toy Connection.
“We have 2,166 children signed up for the program,” said Danielle Wilmoth, executive director of the Charles County Children’s Aid Society. “Our goal every year is to give to 2,000 children, so this year we’re going over our goal, due to the amount we’ve received and been able to purchase with monetary donations and grants, we’re able to serve more children than in the past, so we’re really excited.”
The Children’s Aid Society, based in Waldorf, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization operating in the county since 1934 to assist struggling Charles County families with children, according to its website.
The Christmas Toy Connection is giving out more than $100,000 in toys and other items this week, according to Wilmoth. In addition, other items, such as winter hats, gloves, books and breads are being given to approximately 1,100 families from Tuesday until today.
The Christmas Toy Connection was held for the third year in a row at Peace Lutheran Church in Waldorf.
Wilmoth said the Children’s Aid Society has been collecting toys yearround for the event, with 45 designated drop-off locations. Organizations have also held toy drives for the event.
“Without those individuals and places, we would not be able to do this,” Wilmoth said. “I’m very grateful to have so much support from the community for this.”
Participating families applied through the Department of Social Services, which screened families for eligibility, before the Children’s Aid Society mailed out invitations.
“In order to be eligible, the family has to be receiving either food stamps or temporary cash assistance,” Wilmoth said. “There is a verification process, so we know we are giving the toys to families that are really in need and could definitely use support for the holidays.”
After checking in, clients are given a shopping cart and a volunteer shopping assistant and enter the gift room, where toys are divided by age group and gender. Volunteers also give them stockings of small items, bags of age-appropriate books and breads and baked sweets.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office was also on hand to provide escort services for clients, as well as helping with Monday’s set-up.
“They really, really help us. They had almost 30 deputies here [Monday], loading and unloading the truck,” said Earl Knapp, a longtime Children’s Aid Society board member and volunteer.
Approximately 200 volunteers lent a hand throughout the event. Knapp provided an orientation for volunteers.
“It’s fun, but it’s a lot of hard work, it’s very hard on the feet,” Knapp told volunteers.
Knapp said this was his 19th year volunteering at the Christmas Toy Connection.
“If I get one hug a year, it’s worth it, it really is,” Knapp said.
Susan Winborne was another volunteer. She’s been helping out at the Christmas Toy Connection since 2007 as part of the Sisters at Heart, a La Plata-based breast cancer survivor support group of which she is co-founder.
“At Christmastime, we get together and have our Christmas lunch, but instead of exchanging gifts among ourselves, we will bring a gift to [the Christmas Toy Connection],” Winborne said.
Winborne, who volunteered to help out all day Tuesday, said she enjoys helping out with the event.
“I think it’s a really great cause and I wish I could do it every day, but I can’t,” Winborne said.
Wilmoth said the Children’s Aid Society is happy to help out families in need during the holiday season.
“We want to ease the burden on families in Charles County. We want to make sure that no child has to go without just because of hardships their family may be facing,” Wilmoth said. “It’s just a really great thing to be able to offer and I’m excited to be a part of it.”